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Day 172: Iron Swords War

By Leah Garber

“Where there is no flour, there is no Torah; if there is no Torah, there is no flour.”
— Ethics of the Fathers, 3:17

One hundred, seventy-two days of harsh fighting, 172 long nights in which 134 hostages are still held captive in the darkness of Gaza. Almost six months ago, tens of thousands of families are still displaced from their homes due to massive destruction and hostile worldwide public opinion ads to the hardship, which exact a heavy toll on all of us.

In addition to the pain, despair, and frustration, there is mental and physical fatigue that begins to take over. What will be? When will this all end? What awaits us in the Spring? Is a significant escalation in the fighting on the Lebanese border awaiting right after Passover?

And as if the many external threats and accusations outside the country, motivated by antisemitism are not enough, the society in Israel, which united in an exemplary manner through weaving a unique fabric from our blood and tears in the first months of the fighting, is beginning to unravel.

Following the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, compulsory service in the army began. Back then, the heads of the ultra-Orthodox sectors feared that the intensive service in the military, which is primarily secular, would incite yeshiva students away from a strict religious lifestyle and jeopardize their rigid religious observance.  The ultra-Orthodox community turned to Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion with a request to exempt yeshiva students from the obligatory draft while allowing them to support the fighters through prayers and Torah study. Ben-Gurion accepted their request, mainly because of the low numbers of yeshiva students of conscription age at the time and replied to the opponents by saying: “There are 400 yeshiva students. If they commit to conscription, the yeshiva houses would be at risk of closing”, and so it was agreed, they were exempt, and still are ever since.

Over the years, the number of yeshiva students benefiting from the exemption has increased, and with them, there have been repeated attempts by different heads of state to remove the exemption. Seeking to require yeshiva students to enlist in the army as any other Israeli citizen.

For political reasons, these attempts have failed time after time. Every coalition, whether a left- or right-wing coalition, depended on the votes of ultra-Orthodox parties, who conditioned their joining the government on the retention of the law that exempts their electorate, the ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students, from compulsory conscription. The issue of exemption from mandatory military service for specific sectors of society, while other sections, including the Modern Orthodox, has created increasing hostility towards the ultra-Orthodox, which appear, especially now, to be evading their civic duty.

The reality is approaching a boiling point and requires courageous leadership from both sides.

We have been in the midst of the longest and most difficult war in Israel’s history for nearly six months. A war whose end is not near, but predictions, which I hope will not come true, say that it will only get worse. This is a war in which hundreds of thousands of Israelis, reservists, left their homes with short notice and have served for close to five months, some longer. Now, most of those who have already been released are beginning to receive orders for additional reserve service. This load hits the reservists in all aspects, through their ability to support their families, Israel’s economy, financial stability, and more.

If the ultra-Orthodox sector had also harnessed themselves and mobilized, the load would have been distributed equally among all.

For 76 years, the Israeli people have mourned their fallen soldiers.  Since October 7, they have mourned the 600 soldiers killed in battle, bemoaned the painful toll the war is taking, and are now demanding equality. The blanket exemption angers and divides the people. Prime Minister Netanyahu, a former decorated officer, understands that, in principle, everyone must serve. Still, for his political interest, he cannot afford to jeopardize his current coalition, which relies on the ultra-Orthodox parties and continues to press for the existing status quo. The ultra-Orthodox public is not ready to be flexible, and its leaders declare that they are prepared to go to prison or leave Israel if the law is revised and requires them to serve in the army.

This week, the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, will consider a proposal to change and adjust the legislation. Will history be made here, and a decades-old distortion will be corrected, or will the politics of special interest dictate our reality, perpetuate inequality, and continue to divide the people?

It is important to note that over the years, the rate of yeshivot boys enlisting has increased. More and more continue to enlist, some of them while being socially ostracized and dealing with boycotts from their own communities. To meet their needs, the army introduced changes in the military system to allow soldiers to serve in gendered base units, to incorporate hours for prayer, learning Torah, etc., into the daily routine. It is also important to emphasize that many yeshiva students would be happy to serve in the army but are afraid to do so as it is against the instruction of their rabbis.

Military service is not only a right civil act but also invites this community into the wider Israeli society, which includes greater employment opportunities at the end of the service, financial incentives for apartment buyers, and more. Above all, the army is the ultimate melting pot of Israeli society. In the army, Israelis from all sectors fight side by side: religious and secular, the townspeople and the kibbutzim, right-wing and left-wing supporters, Jews, Bedouins, Muslims, Christians, and Druze. The army is the people’s army, and there is no greater, more significant, and more committed friendship than the warriors’ loyalty to each other.

It was not for nothing that our sages said, “if there is no flour, there is no Torah.” The Torah, the world of the spirit, the world of values, the world of content, cannot exist without the physical support of action, of a base that allows the spirit to rise, and vice versa. In times of trouble and distress, when the people of Israel are fighting for its existence, the spirit cannot be freed to rise without a firm and solid foundation that will preserve and protect it and allow it to exist.

This is a time of trouble. On the battlefield, religious soldiers fight, yet follow their religious rituals and traditions and learn Torah when possible.

I wish we could reach the day when we can give up some of the fighters and allow for more spirituality in different fields—Jewish content, scientific research, artistic growth, etc. Those days are far away; in the meantime, we need everyone to protect our homeland. The one home we have. Because only…

…Together, united, we will overcome.

Leah Garber is a senior vice president of JCC Association of North America and director of its Center for Israel Engagement in Jerusalem.

Saloon Doors at the Tel Aviv Hilton I שַׁבָּת שָׁלוֹם Shabbat Shalom I 12 Adar II 5784

By Doron Krakow

Saloon Doors at the Tel Aviv Hilton

I arrived at the Tel Aviv Museum for the opening of the Jewish Funders Network (JFN) conference—my first. Originally scheduled in Israel as part of the celebration of Israel @ 75, it became something very different—for most, a first look at Israel in the shadow of October 7. There had been murmurs about canceling. After all, travel and tourism to Israel have been decimated, and while any number of the funders expected have interests in Israel, not all consider it a priority. Truth is, there was plenty of worry that, under the circumstances, it simply wouldn’t be a draw. Those who thought so couldn’t have been more wrong.

The museum is the backdrop for Hostage Square, the place that has become the home away from home for families of those held captive by the butchers of Hamas. More than 130 men, women, and children of all ages remain in the dungeons of Gaza—168 days and counting. The families are there just about all day, every day, and not only of those still missing but also the families of those who came home and those now known to have been murdered. All of them. And all of Israel. Thousands come to speak with them, to keep them company, to sing, to pray, or just to give a hug and cry a little. I had attended the weekly vigil the evening before, together with tens of thousands of others who are there, week in and week out. It is perhaps the most magnificent demonstration of love and solidarity I have ever seen.

So, it was Hostage Square and the Tel Aviv Museum where the JFN Conference began. The auditorium was packed. Not an empty seat. All that worry about turnout turned out to be just that, worry. More than 600 people had come, making the conference the largest gathering of Diaspora Jews in Israel since that terrible, horrible day. Six hundred—a sellout—over a hundred others had been turned away once the meeting space maxed out.

Much will be written about the ensuing few days, and I encourage you to learn more. There is a lot to discover and a great deal about which to be proud. But that is not my purpose today. An unexpected thread ran through my own experience at JFN, beginning as I boarded the bus from the Tel Aviv Hilton to head to the opening.

Maya was the first one. For the past three years, she’s been a senior member of the JFN Israel team, though I knew her, years ago, as a longtime member of the Young Judaea (YJ) staff in Israel and then as a shlicha (emissary) in the United States. Scanning the large hall in search of a place to sit, I saw another old friend. Elli heads programs for a major French foundation focused on leadership development, among other priorities. He, too, was a member of the Young Judaea team, a former shaliach, and then head of its young adult community center in Jerusalem.

Thus began a series of such encounters. Unexpected but, in retrospect, not surprising. Rachel had also been on the YJ team, spending years heading summer programs in Israel. Today, she represents a major Canadian Jewish federation. Next was Alon. He spent more than 20 years with YJ, rising to become its deputy director, a tenure that included three years on shlichut in New York working with college students. Today, he heads an Israel-based non-profit dedicated to strengthening Jewish peoplehood. Sigal, who was with YJ for thirteen years, now serves as Executive Director of JFN in Israel.

There were others, naturally. More fellow travelers from those years, still based in the U.S. – representing their current organizations or foundations. Barry, Mark, Thom, Sharon… I may have missed a few at what turned out to be a wonderful reunion with a group of people who, back in the day, were part of a shared effort to mold and inspire a new generation of proud Jews—to connect them to Israel and Israelis and foster a lifelong commitment to one another, to Zionism, and to the Jewish people. Seems like it worked—on us.

That got me thinking about this moment and the crisis that brought us together this week with participants from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the U.K., France, Australia, and elsewhere, along with an influential cadre of Israeli funders, leaders, and practitioners. The assault on Israel and the ongoing war have resulted in a huge upsurge in philanthropic commitment. More than a billion dollars already from North America alone, continuing a proud tradition of Diaspora Jewish support in times of strife.

But it’s different this time. Strife is a very real fact of life for Jews across the Diaspora, too, as soaring antisemitism has created a climate of fear and uncertainty. Philanthropy has a part to play in this part of the crisis, too, and it’s already responding, but our problems are not simply matters of money, programs, or infrastructure. They are also a function of personal and communal fortitude, resilience, and determination—attributes not always a strong suit.

There’s the rub. This is precisely the way we describe Israelis—time after time throughout the years, but perhaps never more than during these last terrible months. So, the JFN conference, which gathered funders in Israel to help shape their understanding of where and how they can assist with the recovery work to come in Israel, also provided a gathering place for Israelis who have a unique understanding of Diaspora Jewry.

My friends from Young Judaea, after extensive engagement with American and Canadian Jews, often including years working in the Diaspora, have risen to key positions in Israeli society through organizations dedicated to building on those same connections. Today, perhaps, they can be the leading edge of something altogether different in a time of crisis—both here and there. A bilateral engagement beyond the tried-and-true provision of philanthropy to Israel. A new and dynamic commitment to draw upon Israeli experience to assist North American communities suddenly in unfamiliar and uncomfortable territory.

These old friends are emblematic of a far larger cadre of Israelis whose lives and work have been shaped by experiences in Diaspora communities or through work with Diaspora organizations and programs. They’re there, in their legions. They know and understand us and are often in positions of influence to build and evolve response scenarios that could prove as critical to our capabilities and fortitude in the face of growing fear and unease, as our philanthropy has proven to their efforts in Israel.

Not long ago, we spoke of twin peaks in the Jewish world. A thriving “Israel at 75” and the largest and most successful Diaspora in our history. Today, both are in the crosshairs and each should bring its best to bear for one another. After all, isn’t that the foundation of peoplehood?

Am Yisrael Chai | עם ישראל חי

Shabbat shalom | שבת שלום

Doron Krakow
President and CEO
JCC Association of North America

JCC Association and Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs Partner on Ongoing $7.2 Million Initiative

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 21, 2024
CONTACT:
Lauren Magy, PR Specialist, JCC Association, [email protected] 

JCC Association and Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs Partner on Ongoing $7.2 Million Initiative  Mit-habrim | מתחברים | Connections  

Historic partnership welcomes Israeli heroes and survivors to JCCs and funds programming grants at nearly 100 JCCs  

NEW YORK JCC Association of North America, in partnership with Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs, announces additional programming as part of a new international initiative, Mit-habrim | מתחברים | Connections. The $7.2 million initiative, set to strengthen ties between North American JCCs and Israel and demonstrate solidarity with the country following the horrific attacks of October 7, has to date impacted more than 40,000 participants at 190 events and 112 JCCs and partner organizations, and will continue through the spring with grants for JCCs to create programs that honor and celebrate major Jewish and Israeli holidays and commemorations. Mit-habrim is supported by a $3.57 million grant from the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs, the largest grant to a movement outside Israel, with matching funds to be secured by JCC Association. 

Initially conceived in 2021 to provide funding to JCCs to design, develop, and implement programming for Yom HaShoah, Yom HaZikaron, and Yom HaAtzmaut during Israel’s 75th anniversary year, this partnership has adapted and grown significantly in response to the war in Israel. Since October 7, Mit-habrim has delivered programming and funds into JCCs to support a widening commitment to solidarity with Israel and Israelis. Programs born from the partnership between JCC Association and the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs are empowering JCC members, staff, and leaders to strengthen their connections to Israel and stand up to antisemitism, in all its forms, including anti-Zionism, while supporting engagement with their wider communities. Mit-habrim launched in the days following the October 7 attacks and events will continue through the summer. 

“This historic partnership, fostering movement-wide support of Israel, exploring the unbreakable bonds that bind us together as Jews is, perhaps more critical now than ever,” says Doron Krakow, president and CEO of JCC Association. “As the largest and most diverse platform for Jewish engagement in North America, we are uniquely positioned to impact commitment to Jewish peoplehood from coast to coast and provide unwavering support to the Jewish state in the wake of the atrocities perpetrated on October 7. Because of this momentous initiative, over the past five months, tens of thousands of participants in every corner of our movement have joined hands in unequivocal support for Israel and her people.” 

In May, the work of Mit-habrim will continue with $1.1 million in grants awarded to nearly 100 JCCs across 30 states and three Canadian provinces for the creation and implementation of programs focused on the three major Jewish and Israeli holidays and commemorations. Inspired by the original design of Mit-habrim, the grants, known as Yamim, provide seed funding to JCCs for the creation of Yom HaShoah, Yom HaZikaron, and Yom HaAtzmaut programs for their communities, proudly and powerfully demonstrating their commitment to Israel and the Jewish people. Select highlights of upcoming Yamim programs include: an exhibit featuring photos by photojournalist Erez Kaganovitz at the Merage JCC in Orange County, Calif.; a free outdoor Yom HaAtzmaut community carnival at Kings Bay Y in Brooklyn, N.Y.; conversations with women who were directly impacted by the October 7 attacks at the Miami Beach JCC in Miami Beach, Fla; a citywide Yom HaAtzmaut celebration at Shalom Austin in Texas; a family cooking workshop hosted by a Jerusalem-based couple at the Mandel JCC in Cleveland, Ohio; Southern Arizona Israel Week with a Tom Hazikaron commemoration and Yom HaAtzmaut barbeque in Tucson, Ariz.; and more. 

Among Mit-habrim’s most powerful, poignant initiatives is Giborim: First Testimony, which has brought 40 Israeli giborim, or heroes, directly to JCCs to share their experiences from the October 7 attacks and its aftermath. With the World Zionist Organization as a partner, giborim have visited over 30 JCCs thus far, welcoming thousands of attendees to engage with eyewitnesses and survivors of the events of October 7 and the ensuing war. Additional giborim visits to communities across the continent are scheduled throughout the spring.  

After four Israelis visited his community, Scott Seewald, chair of the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh, said: “We will always be grateful for spending time with these giborim and creating relationships that we know will last forever.… Our Pittsburgh Jewish community may be thousands of miles away from Eretz Yisrael [the land of Israel] physically, but our hearts and souls are with Israel always.”  

Additional components of Mit-habrim, created by JCC Association, which have had a powerful impact on dozens of JCC communities, include: Shufuni | Look at Me, which welcomed a group of young artists and performers from Sderot and other communities in the Gaza envelope to JCCs to share their music and stories; Zionist Talks, a lecture series featuring notable Israelis including Avi Melamed, Natan Sharansky, Shira Ruderman, and Einat Wilf whose perspectives and insights are enhancing understanding among American Jews of the current situation in Israel; Israel Solidarity Missions which brought more than 50 JCC Movement representatives to Israel over the last five months to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Israelis and to bear witness to the atrocities perpetrated by Hamas; and during the winter, Together We Shine Bright Shabbatot which featured Hanukkah and Tu B’Shvat gatherings at JCCs throughout the movement. 

“Right now, it is critical that the Israeli-American relationship remains as strong as it has been through Israel’s 75 years. Israel is a complex and dynamic country, and to build meaningful connections with North American Jews, we need to continue to share more about Israel’s culture, history, and people,” notes Israel’s Minister for Diaspora Affairs, Amichai Chikli. “As a movement with reach across the U.S. and Canada, JCC Association is the most effective partner to provide financial and educational resources, allowing each JCC to engage in ways that best suit the community.” 

Before Mit-habrim was launched, JCC Association’s Center for Israel Engagement awarded approximately $750,000 in donor-funded micro-grants to JCCs across the movement. These grants predate the October 7 attacks and demonstrate ways JCC Association supports JCCs in instilling a commitment to Jewish peoplehood and building connections with Israel in their communities. Both the original micro-grants and Mit-habrim funding give JCCs significant autonomy to design and implement Israel-focused events and programs that address specific needs and objectives in their communities. The matching grant aspect of Mit-habrim provides an opportunity for local and national funders to support Israel-centric programming across North America.  

# # # 

About JCC Association of North America  

JCC Association of North America leads the JCC Movement, the most expansive and inclusive platform for Jewish life in the U.S. and Canada, which comprises more than 170 Jewish Community Centers and Jewish Community Camps (JCCs). By virtue of its size and scope—serving more than 1.5 million people weekly, in person, and online—and with guidance and support from JCC Association, the JCC Movement dynamically influences efforts to create Jewish community, vibrant Jewish life, and intentional and measurable Jewish outcomes in local communities and across the continent. Learn more at JCCA.org or on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

Please note that JCC Association of North America should not be referred to as JCCA or the JCC Association but initially as JCC Association of North America and as JCC Association in subsequent references. 

About JCC Association Center for Israel Engagement  

Since its inception in 1977, JCC Association Center for Israel Engagement has connected countless JCCs and members with the many facets of the land, history, people, and cultures of Israel. Through custom-designed travel experiences to Israel for JCC professionals, lay leaders, campers, and members of JCCs, approximately 11,500 individuals—teens to older adults, first-time visitors, people with disabilities, and so many others—have connected to Israel through seminars, professional training opportunities, and other distinct initiatives. JCC Association Center for Israel Engagement also brings more than 400 shlichim to North America each year to serve in the JCC Movement’s camp network during the summer, with dozens more employed throughout the year at JCCs around the country. Shlichim are young Israelis who, following their mandatory military service, choose to serve for a year or more in Jewish agencies and institutions in communities around the world.  

About Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism

The Ministry for Diaspora Affairs is entrusted with fostering the connection between world Jewry and the State of Israel, through joint activities and ongoing dialogue, since the Israeli government sees itself as being responsible for all Jews worldwide, whether they live in Israel or the Diaspora. 

Day 167: Iron Swords War

By Leah Garber

Today marks the Fast of Queen Esther, commemorating two communal fasts undertaken by the Persian Jewish community of Shushan in the 5th century B.C. Haman, a senior official in the empire of Persia, was the first Jew hater and the first known antisemite in the tragic, long history of Jewish persecution. Haman decided that Jews’ customs justified their genocide, and by the king’s order, the 15th of the month of Adar was declared the day all Jews of the Persian empire were to be executed and their property looted.

Sound familiar?

Queen Esther called for the fast, which was dedicated to prayer and pleading for salvation from annihilation. The people’s prayers were answered and the fate of annihilation was reversed and turned to the day the Jews overcame their enemies. And as such, Purim became a day marking the miracle of mourning turned to celebration.

The decree of annihilation was almost carried out because Haman seized upon the Jews of Persia as “a single nation scattered and separated among the nations.” Esther understood what was necessary for salvation and commanded her uncle, Mordechai: “Go gather all the Jews.” Only by uniting, we can prevail.

The story of Purim is the eternal narrative of the Jewish people, relevant throughout generations. This year, in a horrifying way, it is more relevant than ever.

Until October 6, Israelis were divided. An ideological civil war threatened us. It was a tumultuous period of social protests that split and tore us apart, the most difficult, sad year in the history of Israeli society. The lack of trust between elected officials and citizens brought hundreds of thousands to the streets every week, calling upon the government to preserve the state’s democratic character and the fundamental values upon which it was founded. Never in our 75 years of existence had we been so divided, each side convinced that the other threatened the identity of the Jewish state. It was a year of despair and frustration, a year in which we weakened as a people and in which the things that divided us were greater than the things that unified us.

As it was 2,500 years ago, this time, too, a cruel enemy took advantage of our weaknesses and ideological separation and conspired to kill us all in one day. And as if Queen Esther’s call for unity echoed from ancient Shushan, carried on the waves of history, we too understood that despite the atrocities of October 7, we must gather as one and shed past disputes to stand together in the face of evil. We must be one people again.

This time, though, the mourning has not yet turned into a victory celebration. The time has not yet come to feast. The enemy hasn’t yet been defeated. Evil still threatens us.

On the night of October 7, only after the scale of the disaster began to sink in and the horror stories from the massacre were just starting to be revealed, I laid in bed, unable to sleep. Only one thought burned in my mind: When will we be happy again? When will the day come when we will be truly happy again, with full-hearted joy and free from the terrible, black, gloomy shadow of the massacre? Will the still bleeding scar ever heal and allow our spirit to rise, to breathe again, to truly smile?

Since that sleepless night, the first of many, the painful question of “When will we be happy again?” does not let go. I am a happy person, always grateful for many blessings, but since that black Shabbat of October 7, something turned off and the joy in me is not full—and it won’t be until the 134 hostages are returned home safely.

Purim will be celebrated throughout the Jewish world at the beginning of the week differently than in every other year. In Israel, mask festivals and street dances in many cities have been canceled. The celebration will be diminished, the joy will be modest, limited, almost apologetic. How can we be happy when our hearts are broken? How can we celebrate when our brothers and sisters have been in the darkness of Gaza’s tunnels for 167 days? How can we be cheerful when bereaved families are mourning and their grief is so palpable?

On the Fast of Esther, the families of the hostages announced a Global Hour of Jewish Unity, a collective Shema Yisrael prayer event in Israel and throughout the Jewish world. Today at 5:30 p.m. in Israel and 11:30 a.m. ET, thousands of Israelis will gather with President Herzog in the plaza of the Western Wall and, joined by millions across the Jewish world, will cry out together as one:

Hear, O Israel, the Eternal is our God, the Eternal is One.
.שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד

Idan, brother of Uriel Baruch, kidnapped to Gaza

Join us.

Raise your eyes to the sky, and see how the blue sky in the U.S., Canada, Israel, and the entire Jewish world will open to welcome the cry of the entire Jewish people, the heartbreaking plea for the rescue of the hostages.

Close your eyes and imagine how our collective prayers will be carried on angels’ wings. On the wings of the 1,200 massacred on October 7 and the 250 soldiers killed in the war. Look up and see the dead babies whispering the offering of our joint prayers before God, imploring: Hear, O Eternal, we are your people. Eternal, hear us.

Many in Israel who normally do not observe the Fast of Esther have chosen to fast this year as a prayer for the salvation of the Israeli women held captive in Gaza, many of whom may be pregnant, carrying fetuses that are the fruits of brutal rape.

If our pleas are not yet answered on Sunday, Purim will be celebrated sadly, for without the 134 hostages, how can anyone be happy?

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov taught us that when there is no reason to rejoice or when the heart cries for troubles, we must remember past joys or imagine future ones. This year on Purim, I will read the Book of Esther with my family—not as a story that happened over 2,500 years ago but rather as a prophecy that will come true in our time. My reading will be a prayer, and my holiday joy will be in gratitude for past miracles and in hope for ones to come.

Now, more than ever, together, united, we will overcome.

Leah Garber is a senior vice president of JCC Association of North America and director of its Center for Israel Engagement in Jerusalem.

Day 164: Iron Swords War

By Leah Garber

” I fear the most only two words:
The first is “a name I know” and the second is “killed.”
– Idan Haviv

Last night was another sad, quiet evening at Hostage Square in the heart of Tel Aviv, where yellow, the symbol of the hostages, has taken over. One square, in the heart of a city, unveils the sad story of this war and the people of Israel since that bitter day: October 7, 2023.

New displays have been added since I was here last. Oceans of tears have been shed here in the last 164 days since 250 people were brutally abducted to Gaza. The beautiful, smiling, silent faces of the hostages stand in painful contrast to the story they tell, to the painful plea they carry. The gloomy silence embraces all the cries. Cold winter air seeks out broken hearts. The wind carries soft whispers, prayers of hope, and sighs of despair.

As I stood there, my phone started beeping, announcing painful news that opens with the three cursed, bleeding words: “Released for publication,” and this time, the name I heard was familiar. The news hit like a punch in the stomach.

Twenty-two-year-old Captain Daniel Perez, who was injured and abducted by Hamas on October 7, was announced dead. Daniel, a platoon commander, led a battle against the terrorists during the Hamas massacre. During the harsh fighting, Daniel and his team killed 100 terrorists, but then this hero of Israel was killed, and his body was taken into Gaza. For 163 days, Daniel’s family swayed on the terrible pendulum between hope and despair. Last night, with the somber news, the pendulum stopped swinging. Death took over hope.

Based on blood found at the battle scene, Daniel’s family knew he had been wounded. But was he seriously injured? Did he need medical treatment that was denied? Did he suffer?

New findings and new intelligence information led the Military Rabbinate to declare Daniel dead, and although there is no body, Daniel’s family decided to hold a funeral, burying mostly blood, while his body remains in Gaza. An empty coffin with remains of Daniel’s blood. Remains of his life. Remains that tell the story of a brave soldier, an outstanding athlete, a young man who dreamed of becoming a commander, who always said: “If not me, then who?”

Daniel’s blood not only revealed the story of his life, but also one of great loss—dwelling on what Daniel was and what he will never get to be.

It was a quiet funeral—different from others. I never attended one without a body. Thousands of Israelis from across the country followed an empty coffin. Empty in the physical sense, but so full in every other way. Daniel’s coffin overflowed with a sense of pride in his ultimate sacrifice, knowing he risked his own life to save so many others. The coffin was lined with intense pain, too—a pain that under its wings held thousands of hearts that until last night had wished for his safe return and today are broken in pieces.

The coffin was especially heavy because of Israelis’ intense pride in the Perez family, who immigrated to Israel from South Africa during operation Cast Lead, when Daniel was 9 years old. They knew they were moving to a state at war, with constant dangers and challenges. Nonetheless, it was home.

I met Daniel’s father, Rabbi Doron Perez, twice. The first time was when he hosted our first JCC Association solidarity delegation in the peaceful backyard of his home in November. The second time was in his office in Jerusalem, when a second group of JCC Association leaders arrived to bear witness as part of a solidarity mission in January. Both times I left feeling the same way: inspired, strengthened, and at the same time, broken and crushed with sorrow.

In both instances, Rabbi Perez told us about Daniel, who was always special, original, and an independent thinker. Both times, we met an extraordinary person, determined, full of humor, so resilient, yet a broken father, too, full of sorrow and worry, who, despite the abysmal pain, managed to share words of unity and strength; pride in our people and our soldiers; the necessary mission on which they were sent; and our moral duty to return them home safely.

Rabbi Doron Perez also told us about his other son, Yonatan, who was wounded not far from the place where his brother fought and was kidnapped. Yonatan recovered from his injury, returned to fight, and, in the meantime, got married. At the time of the wedding, the family had decided to stick with the joy of marriage even though Daniel’s fate was unknown. They felt this was the time to continue to rebuild the long chain of Jewish peoplehood. It is a chain that has seen difficulties over the generations—rusted at times and nearly broken more than once but never severed. Knowing that Yonatan and his bride, Galia, are another link in the historic sequence of a persecuted people that requires—even when times are difficult and sad—to connect with other links and do precisely the opposite of what the cruel enemy tried to do: persevere and continue the Jewish existence, always, with determination.

At both meetings, Rabbi Perez shared his philosophy—gam v’gam—that two things can exist simultaneously, including sorrow and joy. The pain can be present alongside the joy of life that continues. Even under Yonatan’s chuppah | wedding canopy, the pain for Daniel did not recede.

In the eulogies, we heard about the terrible months of endless worry about Daniel. How can one, anyone, survive the limbo of not knowing what has happened to him for five months? How can anyone last between an undying hope that a beloved son is alive and great concern about his condition? Is he in pain from his injury? Is he being tortured? Where does he sleep? What does he eat? Is he alone or with other soldiers? Is he even alive?

The sea of tears in the cemetery mixed with heavy rains. Together, humans and angels mourned Daniel’s passing.

The cypress trees, standing tall in the cemetery, have witnessed many funerals. They have seen untold sorrow and grief. The cemetery’s paths, blooming in the colors of the rainbow between the graves, seem to apologize for their loveliness, as if uncomfortable with their own beauty.

Gam v’gam, grief and sadness reside side by side with blossoms and beauty. They all can exist simultaneously.

Daniel was there with us at the cemetery, carried in the cold Jerusalem wind. God holds a special place by God’s side for angels like Daniel—a place where flowers bloom year-round, watered by the tears of our soldiers who are now resting.

Rest in peace, dear Daniel. One-hundred-sixty-four days after your death, your mom and dad are calmer. There is comfort in knowing that you did not suffer in captivity after all and that your pure soul made its way to heaven without the cruel human animals defiling it in captivity.

Together, united, we will overcome.

Leah Garber is a senior vice president of JCC Association of North America and director of its Center for Israel Engagement in Jerusalem.

JCC Association Announces Leadership Transition: Jennifer Mamlet Named Acting President and Chief Executive Officer, Doron Krakow To Step Down as President and CEO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 18, 2024
CONTACT:
Lauren Magy, PR Specialist, JCC Association, [email protected] 

JCC Association of North America Announces Leadership Transition:  
Jennifer Mamlet Named Acting President and Chief Executive Officer, Doron Krakow To Step Down as President and CEO

NEW YORKJCC Association of North America announced today that Doron Krakow, president and chief executive officer, will end his tenure at the end of March, and Jennifer Mamlet, who currently serves as the organization’s executive vice president, will assume the role of acting president and CEO beginning April 1, 2024. 

Doron Krakow was named president and CEO of JCC Association in 2017 and led the JCC Movement for seven years marked by progress and achievement. He oversaw a team that established the JCCs of North America as an important entity worthy of Jewish philanthropy and a desirable partner for collaborations of all kinds, while positioning JCCs as the preeminent platform for Jewish engagement on the continent. During his tenure, Krakow led efforts that brought tens of millions of dollars to bear in support of early childhood Jewish education, professional development, camp scholarships, and travel to Israel; refocused the JCC Maccabi Games® by evolving its strategic framework and bringing the Games back to Israel in 2023 in celebration of Israel at 75; expanded the work of JWB Jewish Chaplains Council® to welcome Jewish military families to JCCs; and increased the number of JCCs actively engaged in the work of the movement from 111 to more than 160.   

“It has been among the great honors of my career to serve alongside so many extraordinary professional and lay leaders across this continent, including JCC Association’s outstanding board and staff,” Krakow shared. “Working together with a community of JCC executives, whose work is often unheralded, but is among the most challenging and important in Jewish life, has been a privilege. As the largest and most diverse platform for Jewish engagement in North America, JCCs’ responsibility to shape this next chapter is great, and I know that JCC Association, guided by Jennifer Mamlet, who has served by my side since 2018, will proudly lead the way.” Krakow will return to Israel to be of service to his family and to the country during these troubling and turbulent times.  

As the first woman to hold the position in the century-long history of JCC Association, Mamlet will assume the role of acting president and CEO on April 1. Mamlet is a seasoned professional with vast experience both at JCC Association and within the JCC Movement. She served as the executive vice president of JCC Association since 2022, leading the organization’s day-to-day operations and strategic growth, and previously served as chief development officer. Over the four years in this role, she successfully oversaw a more than 10-fold increase in philanthropic investment in the JCC Movement from the year before her arrival. Mamlet is a former executive director of the JCC of Central New Jersey in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, and a senior vice president of development at the Ad Council. Earlier in her career, she was director of SCOPE (Summer Camp Opportunities Promote Education) at the New York section of the American Camp Association. She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and Spanish from Bucknell University and a master’s degree in social work from Columbia University. 

“I come to this moment both humbled and proud, having been asked to step into the role of acting CEO,” shares Mamlet. “I don’t take this responsibility lightly and in partnership with our extraordinary professional team and dedicated board, am determined to do what is needed to steward our organization and our beloved movement through this transition. It has been the highlight of my career to learn from and work in such close partnership with Doron for the last five years. It was his vision that initially brought me to JCC Association, and which has inspired my enthusiasm for our work every day since. I am deeply honored to build on his many successes as we propel the JCC Movement forward. 

David Wax, board chair of JCC Association said, “On behalf of the entire board, we would like to thank Doron for his contributions. Doron navigated JCC Association through many difficult world moments—including the Covid pandemic, Tree of Life massacre, bomb threats, and most recently, the October 7 attacks on Israel—which all impacted our organization and movement, as well as the Jewish world. We are grateful for his hard work and commitment to the movement during this period of unprecedented change.” He continued, “The entire board puts our trust in Jen to lead the organization during this period and into the next chapter, as we begin our formal search for a permanent successor.” 

The board of directors will begin a formal search for a permanent president and CEO this spring.  

# # # 

About JCC Association of North America  

JCC Association of North America leads the JCC Movement, the most expansive and inclusive platform for Jewish life in the U.S. and Canada, which comprises more than 170 Jewish Community Centers and Jewish Community Camps (JCCs). By virtue of its size and scope—serving more than 1.5 million people weekly, in person, and online—and with guidance and support from JCC Association, the JCC Movement dynamically influences efforts to create Jewish community, vibrant Jewish life, and intentional and measurable Jewish outcomes in local communities and across the continent. Learn more at JCCA.org or on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

Please note that JCC Association of North America should not be referred to as JCCA or the JCC Association but initially as JCC Association of North America and as JCC Association in subsequent references.

Creating Divine Spaces I Shabbat Shalom, 5 Adar II 5784

By Doron Krakow

Creating Divine Spaces

This week’s Torah portion, Pikudei | פְקוּדֵ֤י, finds the people completing work on the Mishkan, the holy Tabernacle, which would house the Divine presence as they continued their journey from Egypt to the Holy Land, promised by God to Abraham. From that moment, the people themselves, by way of the work of their hands, their commitments to one another, and the lives they would lead together, provided the setting for God’s presence among them.

This, in a way, is the essence of our story—the story of the Jewish people. The Jewish people as a whole, of course, long my major preoccupation. But this week in particular, several individuals among them. Jewish people whose commitment to creating a home for the Divine provided an impetus to gather in celebration. Celebration of a career, a life, and a family.

My week began in Pittsburgh for the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh’s annual Big Night, a gala celebration of the community’s preeminent Jewish institution. More than 800 people gathered for an evening of fine food, music, dancing, and to honor Brian Schreiber, a generational leader, on the conclusion of his quarter-century as the JCC’s chief executive officer.

In 25 years, life brings challenges of every description along with countless opportunities for growth, acquisition of knowledge, and perhaps, most importantly, accumulation of wisdom. Wisdom would prove critical to the successful navigation of his final years at the helm. While nearly every JCC was compelled to contend with the global pandemic and burgeoning security crises, the slaughter of 11 innocents at prayer on a Shabbat morning in late October of 2018 in Pittsburgh created an unprecedented rupture in the life of the entire community, a community anchored at the JCC into which he’d poured his passion and his determination.

But on this night of celebration, it was not the hardships or challenges that occupied our thoughts nor were they the subject of our speeches. Rather, it was Brian’s heart, soul, and spirit with which he led this remarkable community—creating within it a space for the Divine—that touched the lives of countless thousands, year after year after year.

Jerome Makowsky, z”l, was a builder. Highly successful in business, he brought a similar commitment to bear as a leader in the Jewish community, founding, serving, and guiding not only the Memphis Jewish Community Center in Tennessee but also nearly every major Jewish organization and institution in town. At his funeral this past Sunday, tribute upon tribute was offered to a man widely considered the community’s patriarch—a model of kindness and compassion, a man of vision and commitment.

Jerome would go on to serve in national and international Jewish leadership roles, eventually chairing the boards of JCC Association of North America and JCC Global. Everywhere, it seems, he left his mark on those around him. It was his work, to be sure, but perhaps more so, it was his way. At the center of his life was his family—four generations of whom were on hand to receive those who came to mourn his passing and celebrate his life. They were his treasure. The center and focus of his world. Over the course of a day I’ll long remember, I came to understand a simple truth: The secret of his resounding success was how he made so many of us who were privileged to have been a part of his life feel like we too were part of his extended family.

On Wednesday evening in a magnificent setting in downtown Tel Aviv, I found myself standing beneath the chuppah | wedding canopy reciting the fourth of seven blessings bestowed upon two beautiful young people beginning a new life together. Though there isn’t a blood relationship between us, Guy and Keren are like my own children—our lives intertwined across distance and years. Having completed their service in the IDF, these two remarkable young Israelis embarked on careers of continuing service to their country and the Jewish people. He as a shaliach | emissary of Maccabi World Union, the world’s largest Jewish sports and education organization, and a major partner of the JCC Movement. And she as chief of staff to Ambassador Asaf Zamir, Israel’s Consul General in New York. Two passionate and dedicated citizens of Israel who found one another as they served the cause of peoplehood at a

time of growing stresses and strains across the Jewish world. With the breaking of the glass that marks the conclusion of the wedding ceremony, they set off on a new chapter in their lives—and in the 4,000-year-long chain of Jewish history.

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, z”l, in his reflections on Parashat Pikudei, compares the final chapters of the books of Genesis and Exodus. Both describe the completion of acts of creation in which the Divine plays an essential part. In Genesis, it is the creation of the world at the hand of the Divine. In Exodus, the creation of the Mishkan, in which the Divine will remain among the people. Sacks said that like the children of Israel, “Our potential greatness is that we can create structures, relationships and lives that become homes for the Divine Presence.” This week, I witnessed and took part in three extraordinary celebrations reflective of precisely that.

To Brian Schreiber and to all whose lives and careers are given to leading our institutions and organizations, to Jerome Makowsky, z”l, and to all who make possible the foundations upon which our communities are built and grow, and to Guy and Keren Sela and all those embarking on life’s greatest adventure—the start of a new family, the next link in the chain:

יברכך ה’ וישמרך
May God bless you and protect you.

יאר ה’ פניו אליך ויחנך
May God deal kindly and graciously with you.

ישא ה’ פניו אליך וישם לך שלום
May God bestow God’s favor upon you and grant you peace.

Shabbat shalom | שבת שלום

Image

Doron Krakow
President and CEO
JCC Association of North America

Day 158: Iron Swords War

By Leah Garber

The Jewish nation overcame an incredible series of troubles and harms that according to the way of nature cannot be endured. This prolonged existence, contrary to historical logic, is the most wonderful thing.
– Herman Wouk

Earlier this week, one of the glittering events of the year took place in Hollywood—the Academy Awards ceremony. In luxurious gowns and suits and with sparkling smiles, America’s most glamorous entertainment industry celebrities walked the red carpet, weaving elegantly toward the cameras, scattering glowing stardust.

It was a colorful display, dominated by red. Many celebrities accessorized with red pins symbolizing their call for a cease-fire in Gaza and justice for the people of Palestine. With a righteous expression, they wore the pins on their garments. The colorful palette of the red carpet, however, was missing the yellow ribbons calling for the release of 134 Israelis held captive in Gaza for 158 days. Hollywood celebrities calling for a cease-fire without the release of the hostages promotes the agenda of Hamas and denies Israel’s right to self-defense.

The Oscars and its red carpet parade are more than just another glitter-filled event. They’re a platform where celebrities share their opinions—in support or condemnation of political campaigns and current events. As influencers, they have the power to shape the opinions of their followers. Of course, their followers typically are not looking to explore or understand the truth but rather to imitate the state of mind of their favorite pop artists, actors, and celebrities.

Superficiality at its best and ignorance of the basic facts.

For years, Hamas, a radical, fundamentalist Islamic organization, has been calling for the destruction of Israel and rejects any form of peace negotiations. Hamas brutally initiated an attack on Israel 158 days ago. The terrorists’ aggression against Israel was a blatant violation of the standing cease-fire. On October 7, Hamas slaughtered 1,200 innocent Israelis, kidnapped 250, and launched hundreds of missiles toward Israeli civilian targets. Hamas initiated this war.

Hamas denies civil rights to members of the LGBTQIA community and perpetrates acts of violence, discrimination, and harassment against them. Many LGBTQIA Palestinians have sought refuge elsewhere, including in Israel. Ignoring these basic, well-known facts is a miserable, shallow stand that, first and foremost, embarrasses allies of those within the LGBTQIA community across the world. Furthermore, by failing to agree to a cease-fire now, Hamas, is preventing their own people, the residents of Gaza, from celebrating Ramadan, a month of intense spiritual rejuvenation marked by fasting, prayer, reflection, and community.

With the beginning of Ramadan earlier this week, senior Hamas officials increased their efforts to set Israel and the entire Middle East on fire. Sadly, these leaders see the holiday as an opportunity to expand the violence beyond the borders of Gaza into the State of Israel. They are eager to see clashes on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and are calling on Israeli Arabs to take to the streets to partake in violent riots against Israel. During a month that should be dedicated to spirituality, family, and peaceful pursuits, Hamas is attempting to incite more violence and killing.Instead of striving to grant temporary relief to their people, Hamas prefers to ignite flames that deepen hatred and violence.

Is this what those wearing red pins in Hollywood support? Do they even know what they support, or is it that red looks better on their gowns than any other color?

Jews have never been pampered by the world’s love. We’re used to being ostracized and excluded. We know what it means to be the “least popular kid on the block.” We are accustomed to accusing fingers pointed at us and always being blamed for the world’s ills. This has been our sad fate since the dawn of history. Indeed, the holiday of Purim, which we will celebrate later this month, commemorates Haman’s hatred for the Jewish people and his desire to kill all the Jews in the Persian empire in the 5th century B.C. And this current global hypocrisy and disregard for Israeli suffering in the face of our enemy’s barbarism is extremely painful.

I have never felt as proud to be Israeli as I have during these last 158 days. I know that the war we are engaged in, out of existential necessity, is a just war, and we must fight it. Thankfully, many in the world have a similar understanding and recognize that if Israel does not continue its efforts to eradicate Hamas, the events of October 7 will be repeated against us again and again. We have no choice but to respond to these unprecedented threats—just as any nation would do in the face of similar risks.

War exacts painful sacrifices on all sides. Israeli soldiers put themselves at risk in battle to avoid killing innocent Gazans, and there is no joy in the death of innocents. But when these same innocent residents of Gaza are used by their own people, by Hamas terrorists, as cannon fodder, Israel cannot be blamed for the atrocities of the war.

A few weeks ago, U.N. Under-Secretary-General Pramila Patten, the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, and a delegation of experts from the fields of medicine and law visited Israel to gather evidence of the Hamas terrorist attacks. The delegation’s report presents a wealth of evidence of sexual assaults and violence—including rape, gang rape, rape of corpses, genital mutilation, nakedness, and tying up corpses, among other crimes— on October 7 and confirms sexual abuse perpetrated against those kidnapped and held captive by Hamas.

Yesterday, Israel’s minister of foreign affairs and 40 family members of hostages presented at the U.N. Security Council hearing, which dealt with Under-Secretary-General Pramila Patten’s report. One by one, the family members and some previously released hostages shared details about the horrors, the abuses, and the sexual assaults—things they would rather forget. In their remarks, they revealed scars that never stop bleeding, wounds that refuse to heal.

What is most upsetting to the families is hearing absurd accusations that Patten’s report is based on fabrications. The only thing worse than the crime itself is that others try to deny it. The denial stings the victims again and again, constantly bringing them back to the event itself.

The seventh of October happened. Unfortunately, the wheel cannot be turned back. It is impossible to revive the massacred or pretend that the blackest day, the most terrible of all days, did not happen.

But what we can do and should do is continually remind the world that those atrocities happened. They were acts of brutal terrorists against innocent people, without any provocation whatsoever from Israel. We must remind the world that the terrorists have not ever expressed any remorse. On the contrary, Hamas leaders continue to say that if they could, they would repeat the events of the massacre again and again.

Those who wear the red pins must consider the facts. All of them. They must search for the full truth. They cannot simply lean on what’s making headlines and adopt it as their worldview.

It’s hard to be hated. It’s exhausting, draining, and frustrating, and one doesn’t ever get used to it.

Together, united, we will overcome.

Leah Garber is a senior vice president of JCC Association of North America and director of its Center for Israel Engagement in Jerusalem.

Day 153: Iron Swords War

By Leah Garber

“If you will it, it is no dream” — Theodor Herzl.

This iconic phrase opens “Altneuland,” The Old–New Land. Theodor Herzl’s utopian novel was published in German in 1902. The book later became one of Zionism’s establishing texts, as it expanded on Herzl’s vision for a Jewish return to the Land of Israel. The book ends with a concluding sentence: “…and if you don’t will it, what I have shared with you is no more than a legend and will remain just that.”

And the Jewish people have always full-heartedly willed it. We have always strived for peace. The Jewish people have always strived for peace. Shalom, the word for peace, is how we greet and separate from each other; it is the essence of the name of Jerusalem, the capital city. Three times a day, Jews across the world pray for peace, but we also express our desire to live peacefully through our actions.

Forty-five years ago today, on the 27th of the Hebrew month of Adar, Israel and Egypt signed a historic, first-of-its-kind peace treaty. The agreement was signed in Washington, D.C., by Anwar Sadat, President of Egypt, and Menachem Begin, Prime Minister of Israel, and witnessed by Jimmy Carter, President of the United States. This tremendous historical moment followed Sadat’s visit to Israel in 1977. The main features of the treaty were mutual recognition, cessation of the state of war that had existed since the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, normalization of relations, and the withdrawal by Israel of its armed forces and civilians from the Sinai Peninsula, which Israel had captured during the 1967 Six-Day War.

The agreement took a heavy toll on both sides. In Israel, society was divided between supporters and opponents, many of whom were forced to leave their homes in the Israeli settlements in Sinai which were given to the Egyptians as part of the agreement. Egypt was suspended from the Arab League, and Syria severed all relations with Egypt. In 1981, President Sadat was assassinated by members of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad.

Although it was never a love affair but rather a “cold peace,” the agreement lasted since the treaty went into effect, and Egypt became an important strategic partner of Israel.

In 1994, Israel signed a peace agreement with Jordan, where, in addition to land, Israel gave up one of its most valuable resources—water.

In 2020, through the Abraham Accords, the UAE became the third Arab country to formally agree to normalize its relationship with Israel. Later that year, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco also joined the Abraham Accords.

The signing ceremonies of the peace agreements with Egypt, Jordan, and the UAE

The November 29th, 1947, United Nations Resolution 181, supporting the end of the British Mandate and the formation of a Jewish state, along with recommending a partition between the Jewish state and an Arab state, marked the beginning of a war between Israel and its neighbors that has continued for nearly 76 years.

The Partition Plan was a compromise welcomed by the Jews who, after 2,000 years of yearning, received recognition of their birthright. The right to establish Jewish sovereignty in a Jewish state governed by the Jewish people led to spontaneous, joyful dancing in the streets, but unfortunately, also led to the beginning of a permanent state of war between Israel and its neighboring countries that rejected the partition plan and any form of compromise.

The plan, with its objectives to encourage political division and economic unity between the two nations, was rejected by the Arab world, indicating an unwillingness to accept any form of territorial division. A rejection that led to the War of Independence and the eight wars that followed, marking a bloody chain of conflicts, operations, and terror attacks. These events define our collective identity as a nation under constant threat, always fighting for its existence—an identity molded by violence and hatred against us. But, to Israelis, the Jewish world, and most Western countries, have an identity shaped by bravery, determination, and desire to overcome obstacles. Israelis willingly pay the ultimate price and, when possible, reach out to neighboring countries, often settling for less land with the hope that it will assure peace.

Egypt’s willingness to work towards peace proved that, like the prophet Isiah’s words, it’s possible to will “swords into plowshares.”

As a young girl, I grew up in a country overwhelmed by constant violence and threats, mainly from Egypt, our mighty southern neighbor. Since the days of the Pharaohs, Egypt has symbolized aggression and a continuous desire to oppress the Israelites.

In November 1977, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat stunned the world by visiting Jerusalem and breaking the psychological barrier produced by three decades of war and hostility. At the official invitation of Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, Sadat landed at Israel’s Ben-Gurion airport for a two-day visit to Jerusalem.

Sadat will forever be remembered for his courageous act of visiting the contested capital of the Arab world’s foremost nemesis in an apparent concession to the legitimacy of the Jewish state’s existence, and its right to peacefully coexistence with its Arab neighbors.

I remember we all held our breath. I can still hear the silence hovering over the empty streets, the feel in the air of messianic prophecy, and the great excitement of redemption wrapping us with hope. Our prayers were finally heard, and our wishes came true. The desired peace was no longer a dream. It was here, carried on the wing of Sadat’s presidential airplane from Egypt’s dusty deserts.

That was the atmosphere throughout the streets of Jerusalem. We were all glued to our TV screens, rubbing our eyes as they followed the historic speech from the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, when the Egyptian leader declared: “No more war, no more bloodshed.”

Forty-five years later, the messianic prophecies of peace are still longed for. Redemption apparently, was after all, not Prime Minister Begin’s or President Sadat’s to determine. Our prayers are still waiting to be answered.

Exactly five months today, 153 days, Israel is facing the most harsh and painful of its wars. A justified war, which was imposed on us, and exacts a heavy and bloody price every day it continues.

In recent days, new videos from refugee camps in Gaza have been circulated, in which Gazan citizens are seen calling for the elimination of the Hamas organization, the return of the Israeli hostages, and the end of the war. The citizens of Gaza have been suffering from the brutality of Hamas for years. They, too, are the victims of the ongoing hatred against Israel, where, for years, Hamas has used its people as cannon fodder and human shields. The humanitarian aid trucked into Gaza every day is brutally robbed by Hamas terrorists who steal from their own hungry people, which is further proof of their heartlessness and the malice that drives them.

From 1947’s Partition Plan to Prime Minister Begin’s invitation to Sadat in 1977 to the 2020 Abraham Accords, our chronicles reveal the story of a nation yearning for peace, always willing to compromise, and never losing hope.

We will do it if only our neighbors will as well. How wonderful it could be when iron swords are welded to plowshares, the fields of slaughter will grow grain which will feed two nations, who together will prove that there is no sweeter reality than the fulfillment of the dream of peace.

Together, united, we will overcome.

Leah Garber is a senior vice president of JCC Association of North America and director of its Center for Israel Engagement in Jerusalem.

Day 150: Iron Swords War

By Leah Garber

One hundred and fifty days ago, the hot Israeli summer gave way to a short autumn—one that visits here for only a few days, offering relief from the heat and providing secrets of exotic countries carried by migrating birds. The hot July and August sun surrendered to autumn’s warm rays.

This brief visit ends too quickly when winter steps in. This year—perhaps as a courtesy to agricultural fields left behind without working hands and battlefields packed with soldiers—winter rains delayed their fall. They hesitated, almost afraid to wet our warriors and add to their burden.

But then, 100 days ago, in the middle of January, the rains finally started to fall, at first hesitantly, apologetically, and later with full force. The pale yellow of the approaching winter was replaced by a determined gray. Rain clouds dropped unprecedented amounts of rain as if trying to wash away the evil and pain.

Winter’s rains are starting to fade. Sad and embarrassed they were unable to bring comfort or purify the evil. As the sky clears the blanket of rain clouds is replaced by a lighter one through which shining rays try to penetrate—to warm us and ease our pain. Today, 150 days since the terrible rupture, the sun breaks through and winter begins to recede, inviting spring in its place.

Summer, autumn, and winter. The seasons change and the world continues to revolve, but in Israel, that one long, gloomy, and bloody black day, October 7, never really ended, indifferent to the change of seasons.

Never has nature’s palette so contradicted the national mood as it has in the last 150 days. The spectacular beauty of nature is spread throughout the length and breadth of the country—in the magnificent reds and purples of anemones, in the pinks and whites of cyclamen hidden among the rocks, and in the bright yellows of chrysanthemums.

Fields in the south, the ones Hamas terrorists viciously trampled, leaving cracks of hatred and killing, are now blooming with nature’s beauty. The blood of the 1,200 slaughtered souls has changed to the red of the anemones, and songbirds, deaf to the atmosphere of mourning, insist on singing, heralding the coming of spring. Caterpillars soon will turn to butterflies, filling the air with all the cheerful colors of the rainbow.

But today we mark 150 days in which even nature in all its glory has failed to heal the pain. One hundred and fifty days in which extremely heavy rain failed to clean the blood from the paths of the kibbutzim and southern towns and the sullen winds failed to obscure the smell of fire. No spring blossom, no matter how beautiful, can lift the depressed spirit.

We have endured 150 days in which 134 men and women, civilians and soldiers, youngsters and adults have been hidden in Gaza, where only one color dominates those long days and nights. The color of despair and pain. The color of crying and heartbreak. They are there, and we are here. For 150 days.

The families of the hostages are losing patience. Worrying about their loved ones breaks their hearts. They have traveled all over the world to meet with kings and heads of government. They’ve begged and cried in attempts to appeal to the leaders’ minds, hearts, and sense of reason.

Despite their efforts, once again, they awoke this morning to the same reality: Beyond the mountains of darkness and the abyss of grief, their beloved family members have been captives for 150 days and counting.

Last week, the families marched alongside thousands of Israelis from the site of the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im to Jerusalem. A sad march of parents, siblings, children, and friends of the hostages who remain chained by murderers.

On the 100th day, exactly 50 days ago, I met Danny Miren, father of Omri, who is being held captive by Hamas. Danny said he has decided to grow a beard until his son Omri is returned. Danny longs for the day when father and son will stand side by side and together shave for the first time. Omri will remove the filth of captivity and Danny a symbol of mourning. Fifty days have passed since I met with Danny, and in that time, his white, sad beard has grown—as have his sorrow and pain, as evidenced in the picture above.

Today the families arrived at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, walking through the building in silence, carrying pictures of their loved ones and begging leaders to bring them home now.

They had a difficult meeting with Knesset members and ministers, telling the legislators how they cannot sleep or eat—not to mention smile or get on with life. They shared how the nights are nightmares; how suicidal thoughts dominate the days; and how they move on a rollercoaster from hope to despair.

Everyone in Israel yearns for the return of the 134 hostages, believing there is no greater mitzvah than that of ransoming captives. But when dealing with the devil, the price they ask and the uncertainty of Hamas’ intention to return hostages is nerve-wracking and unbearable.

Last week I again went down to the site of the Nova music festival. What was a happy, lively site 150 days ago now commemorates the 364 souls who were brutally tortured and murdered and the 44 young people, some of them seriously injured, who were kidnapped to Gaza. Three-hundred-sixty-four trees have been planted in memory of the murdered, and among the trees, red anemones insist on poking out of the soil. In the place where young people danced, memorial pillars with pictures of the murdered and the hostages are now planted in the wilderness of death.

It saddens me to drive south to see the evidence of Hamas’ crimes. They robbed the joy of life from 1,200 whom they murdered, kidnapped hundreds of hostages, injured thousands, burned entire kibbutzim, and now they’ve also stolen our ability to rejoice in the coming of spring and wholeheartedly embrace nature’s blossoming.

Together, united, we will overcome.

Leah Garber is a senior vice president of JCC Association of North America and director of its Center for Israel Engagement in Jerusalem.

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