On October 7th, I Am Full of Remembrance, But Not Much Hope

 

It was a year ago today that Hamas terrorists murdered nearly 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians while taking more than 200 hostages. As of this writing, 101 people are still being held in captivity.

This evening, I attended an event at the Wang Theatre organized by Combined Jewish Philanthropies in commemoration of the October 7th attacks with the theme "An Evening of Remembrance & Hope".

The evening was highlighted by various speakers including members of the IDF, Bonnie Polin Pomper (the aunt of murdered American-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin), Nova Music Festival survivor Daniel Vaknin and 94-year-old Holocaust survivor Magda Bader. In between speakers, there was song in remembrance of those who lost their lives and those who are still unfree and in the spirit of hope and survival.

From where I sit, I am full of remembrance but don't have much in the way of hope. Now perhaps I have no right to feel this way. After all, Bader endured Auschwitz and managed to escape and has led a life in America with two children, six grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and fifth on the way.

The reason I don't feel a lot of hope is because of what was unspoken at this evening's proceedings. Much of the world and a critical mass of people in this country (including some Jews) either deny the events of October 7th or believe the Jews of Israel had what was coming to them and hope for more while standing with Hamas and Hezbollah. With anti-Semitic incidents at an all-time high in this country, hatred towards Jews is in its ascendancy and is being legitimized. 

Indeed, when Vice-President Harris was interviewed by 60 Minutes on this anniversary of October 7th attacks, Bill Whitaker's question was not on the conduct of Hamas, Hezbollah let alone Iran but how we could justify supporting Israel as if it were solely responsible for all the death and destruction in the Middle East.

Yes, I understand the need for Jews to uplift our individual and collective spirits so that we can live our lives fully. But I am not yet ready to hope. Certainly not while Hamas holds 101 Jews in captivity as the world sneers at Israel and the Jewish people.