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Maya Homa

It Has Been One Year: A Reflection

.Illustrative. Photo taken at the Nova Festival Memorial Site by Maya Homa (06/04/24); used with permission.

It has been one year. 

It has been one year since October 7th.

One year since the deadliest massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

One year since innocent lives were brutally taken at a music festival, in the most inhumane and violent of ways.

One year since families and homes in kibbutzim were murdered, torn apart, and burned down by terrorists.

One year since unspeakable atrocities were committed—men and women raped, babies burned alive, murders broadcasted online, and lives taken in front of their loved ones.

One year since our brothers and sisters were forcefully taken hostage in Gaza.

One year of painful uncertainty—wondering when those hostages last ate, slept, or saw sunlight, if they’ve suffered abuse, or if they are even still alive.

One year of families fighting tirelessly, day and night, with every ounce of strength left, to bring their loved ones home.

One year of losing brave soldiers who gave their lives to defend the nation of Israel and our people.

One year of husbands deployed to war zones while wives carried the weight of raising families alone.

One year over 19,000 rockets fired at Israel while the world called for a ceasefire.

One year of families in the north being displaced by fires and rocket attacks.

One year of fighting on multiple fronts by multiple groups calling for our death. 

One year of watching college campuses become breeding grounds for terrorism, hostility, and violence.

One year of seeing American and Israeli flags burned in protest.

One year of contending with misinformation and propaganda in the media and across social platforms.

One year of not just defending our right to exist but having to explain that simple right.

One year of resisting the urge to hide our Jewish identity—to tuck away a Star of David necklace or remove a kippah for safety.

One year of fearing verbal or physical attacks simply for being Jewish.

One year of carrying on with life, despite the harsh reality that nothing feels normal anymore.

One year of sleepless nights, wondering about the fate of our people.

One year of indescribable and overwhelming pain, grief, anger, and loss.

But it has also been one year of the Jewish people standing more united and resilient than ever before.

One year of communities coming together in unimaginable ways to support one another.

One year of packing hundreds of care packages for soldiers.

One year of stepping up to support families in need as they were your own.

One year of tens of thousands taking to the streets to show solidarity with the Jewish people and Israel.

One year of witnessing miracles, such as zero Israeli deaths during the largest ballistic missile attack on Israel in history.

One year of proudly displaying our Jewish identity, despite the fear.

One year of celebrating life, without taking a single moment for granted.

One year of dancing and singing again, despite the pain.

One year of rebuilding—not only the physical structures but the emotional and spiritual aspects of our communities.

One year of choosing hope for a better tomorrow and a better future.

One year of loving being Jewish so much more than anyone could hate us for it.

One year of Jewish joy, laughter, community, resilience, reflection and growth.

One year that was filled with both the deepest of sorrows and the highest of triumphs.

One year marked by profound heartache, yet accompanied by unwavering faith and immense pride in the Jewish people and our one and only homeland, Israel.

One year since they tried to completely destroy us like many generations before them, yet here we continue to remain, standing strong, refusing any other fate. 

It has been one year.

Am Israel Chai!

About the Author
Maya Homa is a dedicated professional originally from New Jersey, now residing in New York City. Currently, she serves as an Engagement Associate for Hillel at Baruch College and eight other campuses across NYC. In this role, Maya helps students connect with Judaism in meaningful ways through a variety of programs, fellowships, internships, trips to Israel, and personal engagement. She is committed to fostering a safe and supportive community for Jewish students during a time of increased antisemitism, equipping them with the tools and education necessary to become effective advocates for themselves. Maya graduated from Binghamton University with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. She also spent a year in Israel at Midreshet Amit and attended Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School. Maya aspires to pursue a degree in Public Administration, with the goal of eventually managing her own nonprofit organization in the mental health sector.
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