Tomorrow is October 7th.
Tomorrow marks a full year of daily heartbreak for all the Israelis, Palestinians, Lebanese, and others killed, for all the hostages still in captivity, for every family uprooted by violence.
Tomorrow, like the 365 days before it, will be a day of mourning.
For 26 years, Avodah has focused on justice issues within the United States. We build pluralistic communities that put Jewish teachings into action locally and do not typically comment about global events outside the U.S.
But we know that grief is not bound by borders. We know the continued turmoil is shaping the lives of people and communities across the globe, including Avodahniks. We know that violence afflicts the conscience of all those who value justice and human rights, and that every life is a universe.
The weight of this sorrow is too much to hold alone. Tomorrow, and in the days, weeks, and months after, we’ll need spaces where American Jews can openly and honestly care for each other, learn from one another, and inspire each other to act. We commit to continuing to build these communities, as we have for 26 years, for generations to come.
Tomorrow, we’ll hold our grief with the support of our communities, traditions, and history. We’ll return to the values that guide us as they have Jews for generations: b’tselem elohim, that every person is made in the image of G-d, and the highest mitzvah is pikuach nefesh, to save a life.
And we’ll recite the words of our liturgy: “We pray that we see the day when war and bloodshed cease, and nation does not lift sword against nation.”
Until then, we’ll continue to hold you, our community, in grief, sorrow, and hope.
Cheryl Cook
CEO, Avodah
