For Jews around the world, this past weekend was supposed to mark a joyous end to the holiday of Sukkot, culminating in the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, a celebration of the Jewish holy book, the Torah.
Instead, for Rabbi Daniel Dorsch of Congregation Etz Chaim in east Cobb, his community and Jews everywhere, the weekend became defined by Hamas’s attack on Israel and the ongoing war that has left at least 800 Israelis and more than 500 Palestinians dead as of Monday afternoon. At least 11 American citizens were among those killed, according to the White House.
‘Joy turned to mourning’
“Simchat Torah is a holiday that deals with joy, and our joy was certainly turned to mourning this past weekend,” Dorsch told the MDJ.
In a letter to congregants, Dorsch wrote that the concern hits close to home for his synagogue’s congregants.
“Members of our community and their families make their homes and travel in Israel,” Dorsch said. “Members and family members who served in the (Israel Defense Forces) in our congregation have received messages asking them to report for duty.”
Despite the darkness brought on by the war’s outbreak, Dorsch said Sunday’s celebration of the Torah was marked by the dancing of hakafot, or circles, around the Torah scrolls, and this year, the tradition was dedicated to peace in Israel and a quick end to the conflict.
Dorsch, who became president of the Atlanta Rabbinical Association in July, added that the Atlanta Jewish community will be rallying behind Israel at City Springs in Sandy Springs Tuesday at 7:15 p.m.
The event, planned by the association in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, will include Torah study, prayer for Israel and mourning for those killed in the war, Dorsch wrote in his letter.
“Our gathering on Tuesday won’t fix all that has happened,” Dorsch said. “But I do hope that in some small way, our gathering may begin to dispel some of the darkness and bring a measure of light back to our broken world.”
‘Four 9/11s wrapped in one’
Rabbi Pamela Gottfried, interim rabbi at Temple Kol Emeth in east Cobb, said she was a young child when the Yom Kippur War broke out 50 years ago to the day that Hamas attacked.
“In my lifetime, this is the worst, in terms of the violence, in terms of the surprise by air, sea and land, and I think the taking of captives, civilians, makes this particularly horrific,” Gottfried said. “Our response is that we come together as a community.”
When it came time to dance with the Torah, Gottfried told congregants the way they danced could represent the way they were feeling.
“We dance because we are resilient as a community and this is our holiday and we continue to celebrate the holiday with resilience, or we dance in defiance,” Gottfried said, “because clearly Hamas’s intention was to disrupt the holiday and kill as many people as they could.”
She said there are members of her east Cobb community who have family in Israel, some of whom are being called up for reserve service in the Israeli military. Gottfried also likened the Hamas attacks to “four 9/11s wrapped in one in terms of the size of the population in Israel.”
“There was a message in this attack, and the message has been received, and I choose hope over despair, and that’s what I’m trying for my community,” Gottfried said. “We’re brokenhearted, but the only thing that we can do is shore up our strength and pray for the safety of our people, and the security of the people in Israel. We all have somebody there.”
‘Simply a massacre’
Rabbi Larry Sernovitz, who previously led Temple Kol Emeth and now serves as CEO of Hillels of Georgia, a Jewish student group with chapters on college campuses around the state, has been closely following the unfolding conflict. He noted that, while there are similarities it shares with the Yom Kippur War — notably, a surprise attack on a significant Jewish holiday — this attack is different.
“One of the things that we’re all thinking about is that this is unprecedented,” Sernovitz said, noting the rising death toll and broad devastation just days into the war. “Just today, there were missile attacks headed toward Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, attempts to get to the Galilee and villages on the Israel-Gaza border.”
The shocking nature of the attack on Israel is giving way to fears of existential threats to Jews in the U.S. and across the world, Sernovitz said.
Within Hillels of Georgia, some of Sernovitz’s Israeli colleagues have family members and friends in Israel who are missing.
“What’s important is that this was not just unprecedented, but it took everyone by surprise,” Sernovitz said. “This was not a retaliation. This was on Sukkot, the end of Sukkot, Simchat Torah. The invasion that occurred was simply a massacre, there’s really no other way to put it.”
‘The Jewish people remain strong’
Chabad of Cobb, which was the target of a neo-Nazi protest in June, planned to hold a prayer gathering for Israel at 7:30 p.m. Monday, according to the synagogue’s rabbi, Ephraim Silverman.
“These are painful and difficult days for our people,” Silverman said in a message to the community. “Our brothers and sisters in Israel have been attacked and have suffered unimaginable loss and sorrow. We need to unite and to be strong in these trying times.”
If history is any indication, Jewish survival and existence defies logic, Silverman told the MDJ, something that can only be traced to God’s protection.
“A time like this requires that people come together,” Silverman said. “We need to be strong, we have to make sure the morale of people in general is positive, and also to know that our prayers have tremendous power.”
Alongside prayer, Silverman is encouraging Jews and non-Jews alike to donate to Israeli organizations providing aid and supplies as the war continues, on top of the spiritual support people can provide one another, “which is as important if not more important.”
Former state Rep. Mitchell Kaye, R-east Cobb, is a member of Chabad of Cobb and told the MDJ that he and others are doing what they can to show their support for Israel.
“We’re trying to spread more light, we’re obviously praying, we are trying to do more acts of kindness and good deeds, as well as increase our charitable donations,” Kaye said, adding that unity is key.
“Despite the horrific situation, the Jewish people remain strong, morale is high and we are united,” Kaye said. “With help from above, we will prevail as we always have for millennia.”
