Day 385 Of The War: Simchat Torah 2024

Just like last year, on the eve of Simchat Torah, we had a holiday dinner at my home and sat outside on the deck. But last year, we knew nothing yet and made plans for Sunday, October 8th, which was meant to be “the day after the holidays.” This year, however, we are at war, and in the middle of dinner, we even heard a siren and had to go inside to take shelter. Sadly, this year, the conversation around the table was somber rather than festive. Some of my guests, all Israelis who love the country, expressed doubts about its future.

On Simchat Torah, I woke up with a heavy heart. It was hard not to think about where I was the previous year. At 6:30 a.m. on October 7, 2023, I was at home when I heard a siren but assumed everything was fine. As usual, I drove to the park to skate, where there was another siren, and I began hearing worrying news from the south. A little before 9, I texted Vivian Silver, my friend from Women Wage Peace, and received terrible news from her. Looking back, I realize she must have received dozens of messages and probably copied her reply to all her friends who reached out. It was frightening, but I still couldn’t grasp the severity of the situation—it felt unreal. The last message I received from her was at 8:56. She told me that she was locked in a safe room, that there were wounded people in Be’eri, her kibbutz, and that people in nearby Re’im had been killed. Shots and screams surrounded them. My message received a blue tick, so I knew she saw it, but that was the last time I heard from Vivian.

One year later, at night, I went to Dizengoff Circle. Around the beautiful fountain, many memorial candles were lit, and next to them was a heartbreaking display: men and women sat blindfolded, holding signs and posters of the hostages taken to Gaza on October 7, of whom 101 remain there. It was deeply shocking and depressing.

Seeking some hope, on the day after the High Holidays, I decided to join the Parents Circle in helping the Palestinian members with their olive harvest. We drove to a small ancient village near Jerusalem, where I learned that the IDF only permits farmers to access their land three days a week, and settlers harass them with violence that goes uncondemned by the army. Together with the farmers, we harvested one of the orchards. It was the first time since October 7, 2023, that we had met the Palestinian members of the forum and worked side by side. Seeing those familiar faces again was truly heartwarming, and for over four hours, we managed to forget the grim news of the war.

After the harvest, we visited the beautiful, pastoral village of Battir. We saw the spring, the Roman baths, the Roman pool, the idyllic terraces on the mountains, and countless olive trees. We enjoyed a lovely lunch at a restaurant called “Our Kitchen,” founded in 2011 by a self-supporting group of Battir women.

It was a meaningful end to a day spent working side by side with our Palestinian neighbors and friends. This is how life in our region should be.