There is no more jarring oxymoron than the phrase “emergency routine”—the collision between what defines normal life and a state of constant crisis. Normal life means leaving safely for school … Continued
Israel
A Special Purim Message from Israel
By Leah Garber Purim is in the air. The sun shines brightly, and together with everyone, it tries with all its might to don a holiday costume and celebrate—to mark, … Continued
Day 843: No More Hostages in Gaza!
By Leah Garber For 843 days—through tense, agonizing anticipation marked by immense suffering and pain—we yearned for these five words. The clouds of war have faded, the thunder of artillery … Continued
Day 802: Even in the Deepest Darkness, Light Will Triumph
By Leah Garber We came to banish the darkness, In our hands are light and fire. Each of us is a small light, Together we are a mighty flame. Away … Continued
Day 767: 4,118 Impossibly Long Days
By Leah Garber Today, following 4,118 days of suffering, pain, frustration, and unwavering hope, a circle has finally closed. Second Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, of blessed memory, has been laid to … Continued
Day 748: Reflections from Israel
By Leah Garber The euphoria of the return of 20 living hostages still hovers over us—along with the joyful videos of their reunions with family, images an entire nation yearned … Continued
I Visited 12+ Camps This Summer: Here’s What Inspired Me Most
by Uria Roth This past summer, I crisscrossed the U.S. and Canada, visiting more than a dozen JCC Camps—and JCCs—that received funding for Israel-related programming as part of JCC Association … Continued
Day 734: Iron Swords War
וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כָל-הַקָּהָל הַשָּׁבִים מִן-הַשְּׁבִי סֻכּוֹת, וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בַסֻּכּוֹת–כִּי לֹא-עָשׂוּ מִימֵי יֵשׁוּעַ בִּן-נוּן כֵּן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַד הַיּוֹם הַהוּא; וַתְּהִי שִׂמְחָה, גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד And all the congregation of the returnees from … Continued
Day 725: Iron Swords War
פְּתַח לָנוּ שַׁעַר בְּעֵת נְעִילַת שַׁעַר כִּי פָנָה יוֹם Open the gate for us at the time the gate is closing, for the day is fading. – Yom Kippur … Continued
Day 713: Iron Swords War
וּבְכֵן תֵּן כָּבוֹד יְיָ לְעַמֶּךָ, תְּהִלָּה לִירֵאֶיךָ, וְתִקְוָה טוֹבָה לְדֹרְשֶׁיךָ, וּפִתְחוֹן פֶּה לַמְיַחֲלִים לָךְ, שִׂמְחָה לְאַרְצֶךָ וְשָׂשׂוֹן לְעִירֶךָ, וּצְמִיחַת קֶרֶן לְדָוִד עַבְדֶּךָ, וַעֲרִיכַת נֵר לְבֶן יִשַׁי מְשִׁיחֶךָ, בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ. So … Continued