Acts of Resistance

By Nina Fondiller Woldin

Last week, Jewish communities everywhere were shaken to the core. Like many, I found myself unable to enjoy my many blessings, reminding me of the first lines of Yehudah Halevi’s* famous poem, My Heart is in the East:

My heart is in the east, and I in the uttermost west–
How can I enjoy the taste of food? How shall it be sweet to me? …

But then I attended a vigil in support of Israel. With only 48 hours notice, in the one-mile square town of Hoboken, 1200 people came out to a park on the waterfront on a Tuesday night. Small children sang the Shema and the crowd sang Hatikvah against the backdrop of the New York skyline.

In the week that followed, and continuing over this past weekend, rallies were held all over the world in support of Israel. We are still reeling from the unthinkable atrocities carried out by Hamas. Completely connected, we are still distraught, but the focus has shifted from pain to action. And we seek and provide comfort to each other in the Jewish community in whatever ways we can. 

Over the weekend, one parent of small children said to me, “Just living a Jewish life is an act of resistance.”

Just living a Jewish life is an act of resistance.

And so the Chai Mitzvah community is there for you, offering friendship and support. Join us on November first to be inspired by acts of courage and to find comfort in prayer at a Community Gathering – Giborim: Honoring Our Heroes. We will reflect on heroes and acts of heroism in the current war, and find comfort in our Chai Mitzvah community. Here is the link to register, we hope to see you there.

*Famous rabbi, poet, and philosopher of the Twelfth Century who lived most of his life in Muslim Spain.