Our Strength, Our Future
With the anniversary of the October 7th attacks approaching, members of the community have inquired about what the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans is doing to commemorate the day.
As has been our mantra these past few years, Federation’s focus is on collaborating with partners throughout the community, and thus we encourage those who wish to commemorate the date to attend programs at our local synagogues or through other organizations.
While Federation is not hosting a commemorative event this year, we know that for us and for our community the significance of the day has by no means diminished.
As a Jewish people, we have learned a lot about ourselves, our friends, our colleagues and our communities since October 7, 2023. From an immense sense of loss emerged an enduring spirit of unity and togetherness that transcends borders and barriers. It has also, sadly, revealed a surprising number of overt enemies that we were not aware of. We are more focused now than ever on strengthening security measures to help keep the Jewish community of New Orleans safe. While essential, these efforts come with significant and growing costs, financially and emotionally.
On the one hand, we have learned who we can trust, and just as importantly, who we cannot. I can honestly say I am surprised by the amount of antisemitism we have seen here in New Orleans, across America, in Europe, and in so many other places around the world.
On the other, however, I think that we as Jews have also come to understand our strength in a more personalized and powerful light. If we don’t fight for ourselves, not only will we lose what we cherish, but the world will lose our goodness, our tzedakah, our history, and our love for one another too.
I can remember my first visit to Yad Vashem. I asked myself, “How could six million people be driven to enter the gas chambers on their own feet?” Of course, I now have a better understanding of just how beaten down our ancestors were. And so, in our own weariness and fatigue, we hold strong together: our strength for our future.
When we fight, when we share our values and our humanity with the world, when we lose ourselves in the joy of being Jewish, we live out the essential message: Never Again.