October 6th vs. October 8th: At the Intersection of Before and After

In his seminal work Der Judenstaat (“The Jewish State”), Theodor Herzl envisioned: “The Jews who wish for a State will have it. We shall live at last as free men on our own soil and die peacefully in our own homes. The world will be freed by our liberty, enriched by our wealth, magnified by our greatness. And whatever we attempt there to accomplish for our own welfare, will react powerfully and beneficially for the good of humanity.”

While Israel’s technological achievements and innovations have indeed advanced humankind, the promise that “the world will be freed by our liberty” remains unfulfilled. Today, as we reflect on the aftermath of October 7, 2023, Am Yisrael (the People of Israel) finds itself at a profound historical intersection that demands courage, foresight, and unwavering belief in a better future.

The Existential Challenges We Face

Our two greatest existential challenges today are antisemitism and self-destructiveness. The Hamas attack on October 7th wasn’t just another tragic day in our history—it was a watershed moment that forced global Jewry to once again question their existence and security. What followed was a wave of antisemitism across North America, Europe, and elsewhere at levels not seen since the 1930s.

This external threat emerged against a backdrop of internal division. Years of political instability and social tensions had already fractured Israeli society, weakening the social fabric that forms the foundation of Israel’s national security. History has taught us the devastating consequences of internal fighting and baseless hatred—the destruction of Jewish sovereignty during both Temple periods (586 BCE and 70 CE), resulting in 2,000 years of exile; but we never forgot Zion.

A Question of Identity

Today’s Zionism, particularly in the aftermath of October 7, seeks its next chapter – one that acknowledges pain and trauma while refusing to abandon hope and the pursuit of a better future.

Early Zionist thought was fed by visions of a utopia, of an Israel that would be perfect and whose creation would initiate a wave of understanding and co-existence resulting in an ideal global community. While these utopian visions have yet to be realized, Israel’s entry into the global community of nations has transformed the Jewish psyche from exilic and excluded to present among the community of nations.

The war that followed October 7 and the troubling global responses to it have complicated this narrative. They serve as stark reminders that acceptance remains conditional for many Jews, that antisemitism can rapidly resurface in moments of crisis, and that Israel’s legitimacy continues to be questioned in ways no other nation-state experiences. And yet, despite these harsh realities, we strive to look forward, hopeful for a time when light overcomes darkness. We refuse to abandon the vision of a future where both particular Jewish security and universal human flourishing can coexist.

Tikun Israel: A New-Old Approach

We are currently in our third attempt at Jewish sovereignty, and we must learn from the past. If October 7th taught us anything, it’s that “never again” could indeed happen again.

What we need now is a return to Tikun Israel—healing Israel—a concept that has guided us through pivotal moments in our history: the Exodus from Egypt, the times of the prophets and kings, Herzl’s Zionist vision in 1897, and the establishment of modern Israel in 1948.

For decades, many Jews focused their identity on Tikun Olam—healing the world—sometimes at the expense of their commitment to Jewish self-knowledge and community. Today, we’re witnessing a necessary return to Jewish particularism. Following October 7th and the surge in antisemitism, a Jewish awakening of internal concerns is emerging. Young Jews on college campuses are seeking Jewish community, many are questioning their future in their host countries, while others are considering Aliyah.

The Path Forward

As Rabbi Chaim of Sanz taught: before we can help others, we must heal ourselves. Tikun Yisrael precedes Tikun Olam—healing Israel precedes healing the world. How can we heal anyone if we ourselves are broken?

Israel’s existence, strength, and inspiration inform our collective existence, strength, and inspiration. If Israel’s past destructions stemmed from sin’at chinam (baseless hatred), then Israel’s strength and unity must come through ahavat chinam (selfless love) and arevut (mutual responsibility).

This is the calling of our time. We must reimagine our identity not just as Jews in diaspora but as members of the global People of Israel – Am Yisrael. We must acknowledge that the challenges facing Israel are challenges facing us all. We must strengthen our connections to our heritage, our homeland, and each other. Like salmon swimming upstream against the current, we have always defied easy paths. Today’s struggles, both external threats and internal divisions, require the same determination and courage that have sustained us throughout our history.

A Global Zionist Citizenship

My hope is that we as a collective awaken, focus on what binds us rather than what separates us, and leapfrog Zionism into an era Herzl and our ancestors could only dream of. Moving forward will require us to let go of the past – not forgetting our past – but willing to move forward from it and into a globalized perception of self, a global Zionist citizenship.

As no longer a people scattered in exile, but as a nation among nations, we must see ourselves through a global prism. Only then will we be successful in reclaiming, redefining, and re-educating Zionism, our destiny, succeeding in the delivery of l’dor va’dor, from generation to generation.

The intersection where we stand offers a choice: fragmentation vs unity, despair vs hope, retreat vs engagement. By choosing to strengthen our collective identity, by prioritizing Tikun Israel, and by practicing ahavat chinam, we can ensure that Am Yisrael’s journey continues for generations to come.

The better days ahead aren’t guaranteed—they require our commitment, our action, and our belief that we, the People of Israel, will not only survive this historical moment but emerge from it stronger and more united than before.

Am Yisrael Chai is not just a slogan, it is a way of life.