Simchat Torah May Never Feel the Same Again

Simchat Torah is a time of joy, a celebration of the Torah, and a moment when the Jewish community comes together to rejoice in our shared heritage. It is a day filled with dancing, singing, learning, and embracing the vibrant traditions passed down through generations. But now, this sacred holy day also marks the most tragic of anniversaries. When Simchat Torah was underway on October 7 of last year, as we gathered to celebrate, terror descended upon us. What should have been a day and night of unity and celebration became one of profound sorrow.

I spent the Shabbat of October 6 and 7 in the Old City of Jerusalem. I went down to the Kotel — the Western Wall — on Friday night for Shabbat and Simchat Torah celebrations. The joy of the evening, dancing with the Torah, left me with a big smile — for the next twelve hours or so. On Saturday morning, I, along with thousands of others, was woken by rocket alerts in Jerusalem. Slowly, slowly, news trickled in — rumors, hearing of, and then seeing the barbarity that befell our people.

I watched as the full scope of the tragedy filtered into the global Jewish consciousness throughout the day. Rabbi Jonah Pesner captured this sense of deep sorrow in his reflection on the eve of Yom Kippur: “We bear witness to one year of empty chairs.” That powerful image resonates deeply, not just in the context of Yom Kippur, but every holiday. Empty chairs — once filled with laughter and love — are the stark reminder of the lives lost, of the dreams unfulfilled, and of the families who will never be whole again.

Our recent Conference of Presidents mission to Israel, marking the October 7 anniversary, walking again through the ravaged communities, reinforced the emotional toll this tragedy has taken. The raw grief of mothers and fathers, siblings and children, even one year on, was palpable. Every home we entered, every family we met carried the weight of this devastation. And yet, in the face of such overwhelming loss, there is also resilience. The courage of our people, the strength of our nation, shines through even in the darkest of times.

As we move forward, it is our responsibility to bear witness to this tragedy, to remember the lives lost, and to fight for justice. We must ensure that the world does not look away, that the horrors of October 7 are not forgotten amidst the news cycles and political rhetoric. We must continue to speak out against the growing tide of antisemitism, against the terror that seeks to destroy us, and against those who seek to delegitimize Israel’s right to exist in peace.

Simchat Torah may never feel the same again. The joy that was once uncontainable will forever be tempered by the memory of those we lost. But in our grief, we find strength. In our mourning, we find purpose. And in our unity, we will find a way forward.

We will rebuild. We will remember. And we will never stop fighting for the future of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. The Torah we celebrate so teaches us that we are stronger together, and in these difficult days, we must hold fast to that truth. Together, we will overcome, and together, we will continue to celebrate the enduring legacy of our people.

The tragedy of October 7 has left deep scars, but it will not define us. We will rise, we will endure, and we will never forget.