We’ve just finished two outstanding Rosh Hashanah retreats, both great successes. These heartfelt gatherings were even more important this year, because they lead up to today, October 7th. This is a day of profound grief and sorrow for many people.
One year ago on this date, Hamas massacred over 1,200 Israelis and took over 250 hostages, including dozens of Americans and people from around the world. It was the deadliest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust. One full year later, 97 hostages have still not come home, and many of them are now presumed dead. One full year later, the war sparked by that massacre still rages on, with almost 42,000 Palestinians dead and more than 97,000 injured in Gaza. This massacre and the ensuing war has dramatically diminished the potential for and progress towards peace across the region, and has sparked demonstrations at hundreds of college campuses, including both legitimate messages of empathy and protest against the loss of innocent life, as well as hateful antisemitic messages defending or even supporting or celebrating Hamas’s evil as legitimate “resistance by any means necessary.” This past year has brought about great trauma and turmoil in Israel, across the Jewish world, and for all those who care about peace, humanitarian values, and universal human rights. Too often, it is difficult for many to acknowledge the suffering and rights of both Israelis and Palestinians, and seemingly impossible to find a better path forward. Amidst such tragedy, today we can give ourselves space to grieve over this year of pain and sorrow.
For Adamah, this year has represented progress and momentum on many fronts, despite these broader challenges. And amidst this storm all around us, we have worked collaboratively to cultivate a culture of listening and empathy.
We have also worked over this past year to establish clarity around Adamah’s Relationship with Israel. One of our core values is Peoplehood & Planethood: building bridges between Israel & the Diaspora to create a more sustainable future together. We believe in peacebuilding through environmental cooperation, and we work to build relationships and partnerships with Israeli leaders and organizations aligned with our mission and impact through immersive experiences, Jewish environmental education, leadership development, and climate action. That work continues to move forward, now more important than ever.
Wherever you are today, however this date and this past year impacts you, I want to encourage us all to find time for quiet and stillness, to express your grief in whatever ways work for you: go for a walk outside, take some deep breaths, talk with family or friends, or find other ways to slow down, unplug, and connect to what’s most important in your life. This is a profoundly sad day for many people, and events continue to unfold with great uncertainty as to what lies ahead. So let’s all continue to hold empathy and compassion for one another—as a Rosh Hashanah guest said to me before leaving yesterday, “It’s so clear how much this team cares about and supports one another. That’s not a given, and it makes a huge difference.”
Sending love, and praying for peace
Jakir Manela
CEO, Adamah