Dear all,
They are home!
I need to say that again — they are home!
Two years ago, on Simchat Torah, we awoke to a world forever changed. News from Israel trickled in — slow, disorienting, unbearable. We were scared. We were confused. We were angry.
And for a fleeting moment — a nano-second in history — the world stood with us.
Since then, we have endured heartbreak beyond measure. We have witnessed loss that defies language and horror that defies understanding. These two years have tested our faith, our unity, and our very sense of self. They have strained friendships, shaken ideologies, and demanded resilience we did not know we possessed.
And yet — here we are.
Today, we begin a new chapter.
Today, we renew ancient hopes.
Today, we plant seeds for tomorrow.
Because they are home.
Ecclesiastes teaches: there is a time to grieve, and a time to dance.
This Simchat Torah — we will do both.
We will grieve for those whose lives were stolen.
We will cradle in our hearts families who remain shattered.
We will mourn with every parent who will never again feel the warmth of a child’s embrace.
Yes — we will grieve.
And then, we will dance.
We will dance for life reborn.
We will dance for hope restored.
We will dance because our souls demand it.
We will dance because — after all we have endured — in this moment in time, we must.
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam,
Shehechiyanu, v’kiy’manu, v’higianu lazman hazeh.
Blessed are You, Adonai, Ruler of time and space —
Who gives us life.
Who sustains us.
And Who has brought us to this sacred moment.
With love and shalom,
Rabbi Zachary R. Shapiro
