Just over a year ago, Hamas terrorists unleashed an unprecedented assault on Israel, massacring nearly 1200 civilians and taking 254 hostage, plunging the region into a ferocious and expanding conflict. In the year that followed, the devastation and casualties experienced by Israelis, Palestinians, and other civilians across the region are undeniable, horrific, and ongoing. As we saw last week with Iranian missiles targeting Israeli civilians, the war has been steadily escalating. The past year has also irrevocably impacted the Jewish American story, as the war has exacerbated a rise in antisemitism that continues to deeply affect us all.
As the largest collective voice of Bay Area Jews, JCRC convenes and holds space for diverse Jewish perspectives. For 76 years, it has been our role to share with our civic and elected partners, and the public, how the Jewish community experiences moments like these. Amid our shared sorrow, grief and fear, our community is far from monolithic in its views. There is a wide range of perspectives about the best way forward:
Many believe that an immediate deal to end the war is urgently needed to stop the suffering of Israeli hostages and Gazan civilians. Others hold that, without its complete removal from power, Hamas will fulfill its stated goal of repeating October 7th and initiate future cycles of violence. Many fall somewhere between these views or identify with both views, citing an impossible choice between ending suffering today and preventing future suffering. While passionate disagreement exists, each argument is ultimately rooted in the Jewish value of pikuach nefesh (“saving a life”) – Jewish, Muslim, Israeli, Palestinian and Arab lives. All of us long for the return of Israeli hostages, recognize the need to restore Israel’s security, and mourn the many civilian deaths and havoc in Gaza and the region.
The ripple effects of the Israel-Hamas war have continued to grow stronger over time. Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization and Iranian regime proxy operating out of Lebanon, has been attacking northern Israeli towns in solidarity with Hamas since October 8, 2023. Hezbollah rocket fire has violently displaced tens of thousands of Israelis and destroyed many of their homes. Israel’s leadership has responded with targeted strikes intended to halt Hezbollah attacks, leading to a ground operation in southern Lebanon. In a dramatic escalation that prompted a coordinated defense with the United States and regional Arab partners, the Iranian regime then responded with a ballistic missile strike aimed at Israeli population centers.
Further adding to tensions are attacks by Israeli extremists against Palestinian communities in the West Bank, which have taken place under the watch of far-right Israel Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir, who was previously convicted of incitement and support for an Israel-designated domestic terrorist organization. And a string of Hamas-inspired terror attacks against Israeli civilians in recent weeks have roiled the towns of Jaffa, Hadera, and beyond.
JCRC Bay Area, based on longstanding community consensus positions, has for decades advocated for a Jewish and democratic state of Israel, and a two-state solution which would see an independent Palestinian state alongside it. Through our Invest in Peace initiative, we lift up coexistence organizations bringing Israelis and Palestinians together to heal divisions and build coalitions between fractured communities. While our vision for peace may feel like a far away dream today, we continue to yearn for regional stability and an end to the intergenerational trauma.
At home, the fallout from this war has bred a vicious mutation of antisemitism. Performative resolutions have wrought chaos and antisemitic speech. Life-endangering protests, vandalism, and even assaults have become almost commonplace. Schools have been plunged into discord, and universities have been overrun by encampments and ugly disruptions celebrating terrorism against Jews and Israelis. Bad actors have taken the opportunity to spread disinformation and hate, attempting to sow further antisemitism. Because of the war, Jews are being scapegoated and face collective punishment for the decisions of an Israeli government they may or may not support, reviving antisemitic tropes of dual loyalty and evincing discrimination based on nationality and religion. Informing our civic, elected, and educational leaders about the history and weaponization of antisemitism has become a core JCRC priority with our new HERE I AM Training initiative.
In this unprecedented environment, JCRC grieves the tremendous loss of life and continues to root itself in Jewish values that have stood the test of time. Peace is no mere political pawn but rather a vision, a hope, and a prayer. Let us continue to find strength in each other and in the wisdom of our tradition in order to overcome what lies ahead on the uncertain path before us.
October 10, 2024
