Dayenu: A prayer. A promise. A howl.

If they had stormed our borders and brought terror to our doorsteps —
But we had been ready,
Not abandoned by our leaders —
Dayenu.

If they had come for the dancers at dawn —
But we had stopped them at the fence,
Before the fire, before the screams, before the deafening silence —
Dayenu.

If they had not taken our children —
Dayenu.

If they had taken our children —
But we had brought them home immediately,
If we had held every name like fire on our tongues —
If Hersh had come home, if all the other murdered hostages were back around the family table, alive and safe…
If the Bibas babies were snug in their mother’s arms right now —
If every single person taken captive on that monstrous day was back with us —
Dayenu.

If we had fought Hamas —
And let’s be clear: Hamas are terrorists.
They are not resistance fighters. They are not freedom seekers.
They are murderers.
And if we had fought them with a vision of the future —
Dayenu.

If the world had cried “ceasefire”—
But also shouted “release them all” – “LET THEM GO NOW!” —
Every hostage, every soul held in darkness,
If the world had seen our pain without distortion,
And not excused terror because it came wrapped in the language of “resistance” —
Dayenu.

If our own government had acted with wisdom —
Instead of corruption, ego, and fear…
If it had protected both our borders and our democracy,
If it had earned the trust of the people it claims to serve —
Dayenu.

If we had buried our dead —
But not our hope.
If we had mourned all the children – ours, and theirs –
If we had refused to become numb –
Dayenu.

Dayenu.
Enough of the betrayals.
Enough of the propaganda.
Enough of the children trapped in a war they didn’t start.
Enough of the tunnels of terror,
And the homes reduced to dust.
Enough of leaders who cling to power instead of purpose.

And enough of the antisemitism—

On college campuses, in union halls, on social media, in the streets.
From the far right that waves swastikas,
And from the far left that cloaks its hate in “social Justice.”

To deny our grief, to dismiss our dead,
To chant for our annihilation and call it activism —
That is not solidarity. That is hate.
And it must be called out.
And it must be stopped.
Dayenu.

Dayenu, Dayenu.
We demand the return of every hostage.
We demand the end of Hamas.
We demand safety, and justice, and a future that isn’t built on blood.
We demand leadership that sees all human life as sacred.
We demand a love of Israel that is honest, accountable, and unafraid.

Dayenu.
Not just a song of gratitude.
This year, it’s a cry.
A prayer.
A vow.
A howl.

I want my country back.
I want the hostages home.
I want the children of Israel to be safe.
I want Hamas gone and I want the children of Gaza to be safe , too.
I want justice with a beating, honest heart.
I want leaders who deserve our children’s futures.

And I will not stop saying it.
I will not stop praying it.
I will not stop fighting for it.

Dayenu.