Our world changed forever two years and three days ago.
Since October 7, 2023, we have lived through a rollercoaster of acute emotions—for our friends, our families, and for so many people we may not have known personally, but who have since become household names: Hersh, Eli, Gadi, Aviva, Rachel, Emily, Kfir, Ariel, Na’ama, Omer, Edan, Romi, Doron, and so many more.
The weight of sleepless nights and endless prayers for families whose lives were turned upside down has been a constant backdrop to our lives. After two years of collective pain and uncertainty—tempered by the courage, dedication, and determination of those advocating to bring our hostages home—there is finally an end in sight, or perhaps the end of the beginning. It feels as if we are catching our breath after a storm we never thought we’d survive, daring to believe that this is actually happening. Still, maybe we won’t truly exhale until we see the hostages wrapped in the warm embrace of their families.
For those awaiting the return of loved ones who are no longer living, there will finally be the chance to lay them to rest and to mourn properly. It will not ease the pain of loss, but perhaps it will mark the first step toward healing and beginning to build a new reality.
Our deep connections with our partner communities in Israel—Arad, Hurfeish, Kibbutz Erez, Ofakim, and Rishon LeZion—have brought the reality of life in Israel today into sharp focus for us. We have seen firsthand the heartbreak of homes destroyed, families torn apart, and communities struggling to rebuild. And we have also witnessed extraordinary courage: neighbors helping neighbors, families refusing to give in to fear, and our Federation community stepping up again and again to support them. Together, we have seen the remarkable resilience of our people.
Next week, we will celebrate Simchat Torah, closing the Jewish High Holiday season and completing the annual cycle of reading the Torah. The Torah ends on a bittersweet note—Moses has died, the journey is unfinished, and the people have not yet reached the Promised Land. It is a moment of loss and uncertainty, an ending that is not yet a fulfillment.
And yet, immediately, the cycle begins again. We roll back to Bereishit—the story of creation, a new world taking shape. Simchat Torah is a holiday of joy, of dancing and celebration. That joy feels even more profound when we carry the weight of what has come before. After the past two years—after war, grief, and unspeakable fear—this turning of the scroll reminds us that beginnings can follow even the deepest endings.
Our hostages are coming home. Hope is returning. Grief and loss remain, but so does the chance to rebuild, to heal, to celebrate, and to step into what comes next.
As we dance with the Torah and begin again, we celebrate life—and through our collective efforts, we will rebuild, renew, and rejoice.
In the words of the Nova Music Festival survivors, we will indeed dance again.
Shabbat shalom and chag sameach.