When Jeremiah laments the destruction of the Temple, he cries out, "Eycha?" - "How?" It was a cry of pain that today resonates in the hearts of Jews around the world. These words, once used to lament the fall of Jerusalem, resonate today with all those who mourn the loss of innocent lives and the sense of security shattered by the atrocities committed by Hamas.
This Tisha B'Av, we must remember not only the destruction of the Temple but also the countless tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people throughout history, from the Spanish Inquisition to the Holocaust.
Since October 7, we have experienced many "firsts after": the first day at work after October 7, our first Passover, celebrating freedom while our brothers and sisters were in Hamas captivity. But Tisha B'Av was perhaps the most poignant day of all.
The loss of life, hostage-taking, and displacement of countless Israelis in both the North and the South remind us of the profound tragedy that occurred so many years ago. Just as the destruction of the First and Second Temples marked the beginning of exile, suffering, and the loss of sovereignty, the events of October 7 struck at the core of the Jewish people's sense of security and unity.
We are reminded that we have always had enemies, and, sadly, we probably always will. But it is not the presence of those enemies that defines us. It is the way we respond to tragedy and struggle that really matters. Therefore, Tisha B'Av is a day of collective mourning, a day on which we are reminded that our history is marked by much suffering but also by just as much resilience.
We must recognize the internal failures that led to the tragedy, including the polarization of the Jewish world, especially in Israel, in the months leading up to October 7, 2023.
"Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Bazeh"—all of Israel is responsible for one another—teaches the Talmud. This sentence reminds us that Jews all over the world are responsible for one another. It is a sobering thought, but it is also a call to action. Our sense of unity and mutual responsibility must be the driving force that ensures that such a tragedy never happens again.
At the end of May 2024, I visited Kfar Aza and the grounds of the Nova Music Festival, places marked by the tragedies of October 7. Amid the eerie silence occasionally interrupted by the war in Gaza just a few kilometers away, I walked through Kfar Aza, where the remnants of that terrible day are still visible. I saw schools and houses riddled with bullet holes and bearing the scars of battle.
There was no clear pattern: some houses were still relatively intact, even though the families who had lived in them had been brutally murdered. Others were destroyed, but their residents survived. The sight that greeted me in Kfar Aza was a stark reminder that Tisha B'Av is not just a day of remembrance but also has a current component in which we continue to live and suffer.
But one thing is clear: thinking about Tisha B'Av alone is not enough; we must act! That means demanding the release of the hostages still being held in Gaza. It also means committing to never allowing another October 7th.
As we look to the future, we must learn one lesson: never again can we be so divided that those who would destroy us have an easy time of it. Our strength lies in our unity, and we must preserve it to ensure our security and resilience against our enemies.
Yet even in our grief, we must hold on to hope. One day, Tisha B'Av will be transformed into a festival of joy, celebrating the return of the Temple. This hope reflects our longing that the hostages will return safe and sound and that our people will be united in strength and faith.
Until then, our grief must inspire us to act, to protect, and to rebuild.
This editorial was originally published in German in Jüdische Allgemeine.
