Message From The Rabbi

The morning of October 7^th, 2023 was Simchat Torah. Now, the date and the holiday are forever linked to the massacre of Israelis who were waking up at Grandma’s house at the kibbutz, dancing through the dawn at Nova, or just starting their day with cereal and cartoons. One morning became one year of mourning. And this mo(u)rning will not end until the 101 captives are returned. 

In 1948, the Israeli poet laureate Haim Gouri ^z’’l wrote the song Ha’Reut-Friendship memorializing the fallen soldiers from the War of Independence. The meaning is as relevant today as it was 76 years ago.

Already a year, and we almost didn’t notice

How the time has passed in our fields

Already a year, and few of us remain

So many are no longer among us.

But we'll remember them all

The elegant, the handsome

Because friendship like this will never

Permit our hearts to forget

Today, we mark one year since October 7^th. We remember 729 soldiers who have died defending our Homeland, and 885 civilians murdered on and since the 7^th, of them, 53 were children. There are now 923 more orphans, and 121 parents who no longer have any children.

We have suffered and still we move forward with the memory of those we have lost. We pray and work for the day when our brothers and sisters in Israel will be safe and able to live in peace.

Y’hi Zichram Baruch—May their memories be a blessing.

Am Yisrael Chai—Long live the people of Israel.

L’shalom,

Rabbi Max Miller