On Oct. 7, 2023, as communities in Israel gathered to celebrate Simchat Torah, a holiday known for community, dancing and joy, they were instead met with terror. In a brutal attack launched by Hamas, more than 1,200 people were murdered, thousands were injured and entire communities in Israel’s south were devastated. Civilians, including women, children and the elderly, were taken hostage into Gaza. What should have been a day of celebration became one of the darkest days in Israel’s history.

The grief from that day has not faded. Two years later, the pain remains acute. Families are still displaced. Hostages remain in captivity. The psychological toll is profound and the work of national recovery is far from complete. Yet alongside the mourning and the trauma, Israelis have demonstrated an extraordinary ability to rally, to respond and to rebuild.

Simchat Torah, the holiday that was interrupted by violence, is traditionally a time to celebrate continuity. It marks the end of the annual Torah reading and the immediate beginning of the new cycle. In synagogues and homes around the world, people sing, dance and affirm their commitment to learning and community. That cycle was brutally shattered in 2023 and for many, the holiday now carries a weight it did not before.

This year,........

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