Thank-full

Thanksgiving, my favorite national holiday, is just around the corner. The holiday feels like an extension of the High Holiday season because it focuses on themes of gratitude so prominent in Jewish values. With the recent news out of Israel, the Jewish people have even more to be grateful for this year.

As we sit down with our loved ones this holiday, many of us will be thinking about the recent images of hostages joyfully reuniting with their families: Images like that of Avinatan Or sweetly kissing the cheek of his girlfriend and former hostage Noa Argamani, and Tal Kuperstein embracing his son Bar, marking the first time Tal has stood up from his wheelchair since being paralyzed before the war.

Here are some other reasons to be thankful this year:

The surge

One of the brightest spots these last two years has been “the surge”–as it has been coined-in Jewish pride and a craving for Jewish community that has accompanied these challenging times.

A survey released by the Jewish Federations of North America last year reported that of the more than 80% of Jews who were “only somewhat,” “not very” or “not at all engaged” in Jewish life prior to October 7, a staggering 40% are now showing up in larger numbers in Jewish life.

Here in Chicago, stats are consistent with the national trend: In the past year, the number of people who have turned out for JUF programs and events has doubled!

Now that we don’t have to show up to plead for the release of the hostages, let’s keep showing up for each other. Let’s continue to double down on our connection to and investment in Jewish community.

A word of gratitude to our allies

Our allies–the non-Jewish advocates and friends of our community–have stood in solidarity with the Jewish people these last two years when it might have been easier not to. I think about our non-Jewish colleagues and friends in the Jewish communal world who have figuratively–and literally–shown up for the Jewish people every day through these challenging times, who have cried alongside us; who have waved their blue and white flags in sync with us; who have prayed with us; who have made the conscious choice to be part of the Jewish story, part of our community.

A special thank you–and oh how “thank you” is not enough–to the primarily non-Jewish members of our security teams, including retired and current members of the Chicago and suburban police departments, who risk their own lives every day to protect the Jewish people so we can “surge” safely into Jewish life. They, too, are part of the extended Jewish family.

Our sisters and brothers

The biggest thanks, of course, goes to the Israeli people.

Thank you to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice during this relentless war. Special prayers to those awaiting the return of their beloved deceased still held in Gaza. May the memory of every beautiful soul lost be a blessing.

And thank you to the soldiers, the hostages, and their family members who have given so much, and demonstrated courage, hope, and resilience through it all.

May our Israeli family finally begin to exhale, heal, and move forward.

May we all finally begin to exhale, heal, and move forward.