By Lisa Soble Siegmann, Program Partner
Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation
For the last year, since the October 7th massacre of 1,200+ people and the kidnapping of 254+ people, it has been hard to breathe. The Jewish world and our allies have held their breaths every single day. We have hoped for good news and have mourned bad news. How does one hold their breath and breathe? How does one hope and mourn at the same time? The Jewish people have been targeted for thousands of years, just for being Jewish. We always hope for better – not just for ourselves, but for the world. We think that this time we’ll be okay, or it won’t happen here. In every generation, an unimaginable atrocity occurs…and then we get back up again. We are never defeated. But…could you just leave us alone?
It is in our DNA to expect it – just as it’s in our DNA to always hope. To always look towards tomorrow. Israel’s national anthem, Hatikvah, translates to “the hope.” Written in 1886, by Naphtali Herz Imber, who wrote that as long as the Jewish soul sings within our hearts…our hope is not lost…to be a free people in our land.
Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, that hope remains. No matter how many wars have been fought, or lives lost, we look ahead to the future. October 7th – the 1-year mark of the horrific event has come. As I write this, 100+ hostages are still in Gaza. How many are still alive? We hold our breaths, we breathe. We hope and we mourn. I think about the innocent Palestinian and Lebanese people on the other side of this who just want to live their lives. There is tragedy and loss for all. There are no winners.
Our grant partners in Jewish organizations have all been affected by October 7th, especially those in Israel. The children, families, and staff we work with all know someone who was killed, hurt, kidnapped, or called back to active service. They all know families that have been evacuated from their homes, forced to leave their livelihood, schools, and life.
A collective trauma has enveloped the Jewish people for a year. The Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation has been supportive of our grant partners in funding emergency and immediate needs for food, living, education, staffing, therapy and more. We will continue to stand with our partners through this. As it is in our DNA to expect tragedy, it is also in our DNA to hope for better. We will continue to help our partners and whom they serve. There is a saying, “Kol Yisrael Aravim Zeh Ba Zeh” – the people of Israel (the Jewish people) are responsible for each other. We are and will continue to be.
May we breathe once again. May our hopes turn into reality. Bring them home now.
