This year of 2024 has been quite a year for the Jewish people, the American people, and the American Jew. Personally, it’s not been an easy year as parents of Jewish children in East Cobb and we’ve had some difficult conversations with our own kids.
October 7th, 2024 will mark one year since the atrocities last year in Israel at the hands of Hamas. It will mark 365 days that at least 60 people have remained in captivity as innocent hostages in Gaza. This year has also been filled with more open anti-Semitism than most of us have ever experienced. This has led to many Jews in America, and around the world for that matter, to seek out their Jewish home, their Jewish support system, and for some, to re-evaluate their Jewish identity.
Undoubtedly anyone reading this has had at least a handful of conversations with their fellow Jews post-October 7th. We may not all agree on the tactics of war used by Israel in Gaza or how Netanyahu governs or even in our support of Israel as a state. But Our Jewish values are not at odds and should remain constant among all of us: our belief in one G-d, the Torah, keeping the Sabbath, freedom, and the moral principles of justice, kindness, charity, and healing the world are paramount.
Whatever our political or social beliefs, all are welcome at Temple Kehillat Chaim. This is a place of safety. This is a place to come together and be with other Jews. This is a place where we should not fear having to answer questions about why we are here when we step through the doors. No explanation is needed, no debate is necessary. We come together to pray or even just to get spiritual strength by being around one another. We pray for peace and we pray for the hostages. This is my hope for us.
I hope to see many of you for the High Holidays, where we will gather together as one.
Comments