This Monday – Oct. 7 – marks one year since the attack that changed the course of Jewish history. One year since nearly 1,200 Israelis were murdered; since 251 hostages were dragged away from their homes, families and lives and taken into Gaza. One year since our sense of safety was shattered, our world broken.
On Oct. 7, 2023, American Jews woke up to text messages and phone calls asking if they had heard the news. In the days following, as more information came out, a new reality set in for me personally. The terrorists not only murdered Israelis and destroyed communities, they wanted me dead as well – all Jews. I always knew this was the case, with Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. The past 365 days have been a nightmare.
I traveled to Israel in January 2024 with three Chattanooga volunteers. We bore witness to the single largest slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust. We visited Kibbutz Be’eri, where barbaric atrocities on innocent families occurred. We visited the site of the Nova Music Festival, walking through the memorials where 360 music-goers were brutally murdered. Through this darkness and ongoing war, we helped create light by volunteering at a strawberry farm. We met with displaced Israelis, families of hostages and survivors from that fateful day to talk, hug and cry. We celebrated life.
Our community, locally and nationally, did not stand by silently; our history has taught us the foolishness of that approach. As part of the Jewish Federation’s work, we continue to bring antisemitism into the spotlight, calling it out and encouraging others to be more aware and call it out as well. Over the past 12 months, our Jewish community leaned on our friendships and relationships throughout Chattanooga – our multi-faith friends, our law enforcement leaders and our elected officials. The number of calls and emails I received then and now have been heartfelt, empathetic and supportive. I am grateful; the Jewish community is grateful.
Opportunities for support most recently included Nosh-a-Nooga, the Jewish community’s first food festival in August. More than 1,000 people attended, and 75% or more attendees were from the non-Jewish community. Jewish Community Night at the Chattanooga Lookouts gave us the opportunity to share even more of our cultural heritage. Chattanooga Jews are a community of 1,700 people, and you “showing up” gives us a sense of pride, appreciation and safety.