Remembering October 7

On the morning of October 7, we gathered here as a community to wrap up our High Holy Day season to celebrate Shabbat and Simchat Torah. At the same time, horrific news was pouring in from Israel, news of the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust. Our hearts were broken but our spirits remained resilient. We pulled together our community resources, and the following evening, we hosted The Jewish Federation and thousands of mourners from across Los Angeles here in our Wise sanctuary–to grieve, to sing, to remember.

For an entire year, we have prayed every Shabbat for the return of our hostages, for the safety of our loved ones and friends in Israel, and for the strength and well-being of the Jewish community around the world. We took congregational trips to Israel and planned more. We sent supplies to our IDF soldiers. We counted the days since our loved ones were taken from us, praying for a hopeful tomorrow for all inhabitants of our beloved homeland.

This year, as we commemorate the one year mark of October 7, we will gather together as a community throughout the day: for tefillah in the morning with our Wise School students and families, for study sessions throughout the day, and for an evening memorial service.