Promises of Better Days - JCC Association of North America

By Leah Garber In the coming year we'll sit on our porch And we'll count migrating birds Children on holiday will play tag Between the house and the fields Soon you'll see, soon you'll see How good it will be in the coming year, BaShana, baShana, haba'a. BaShana HaBa'a, Israeli folk song , with words by Ehud Manor, z'l, and music by Nurit Hirsch After a scorching summer and dry eastern winds, an entire nation arrives, bruised and weary, at the final stretch of the Hebrew year. Migrating birds paint the blue skies in a scatter of colors, carrying on their wings the scents of distant lands, promises of better days, hope. Rosh Hashanah 5787 will be different. In the two previous New Years, we marked the holiday with empty chairs for hostages still held in Gaza and waiting to return to their seats around the festive table. This year, thank God, not a single Israeli remains in captivity in Gaza. Families of hostages have been reunited, and an entire nation has breathed a sigh of relief. 'Thus says the Lord: Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, for there is a reward for your work, says the Lord, and they shall come back from the land of the enemy.' (Jeremiah 31:15) But despite the immense relief, scars from the Swords of Iron War remain deep and raw. Israeli citizens will arrive at beautifully set holiday tables with the dust of war not yet settled and its toxic atmosphere still lingering close. The State of Israel stands before one of the most fateful elections it has known in its 78 years of its existence—elections that will determine not only the future security of the state and its citizens but above all, whether we are heading toward the repair, reconciliation, and healing for which we all yearn. The alternative is that we will continue to flounder in the terrible, all-consuming mud in which we have been mired for nearly four years—ever since the minister of justice announced judicial reform that challenged the justice system and Israeli democracy. That action split the Israeli public into two camps, a division that has endured throughout the black hole of October 7 and the terrible tragedies brought on by the war that followed—and still threatens us on several fronts. The pre-election air carries waves of hostility. It is saturated with propaganda and heavy with jarring tones that flood and pollute the atmosphere—noise that clouds judgment, weaves lies, amplifies anger and tension, and turns family members and friends against one another. Twenty-three parties will compete in the election at the end of October for the 26th Knesset. Several core issues on the political map preoccupy Israel's public. First and foremost are responsibility for the events of October 7, the establishment of a state commission of inquiry, and the character of the next government. The election will determine whether the public will choose the current coalition or different elected officials who are untainted by the failures of October 7 and will present priorities that place unity, healing, and a new discourse above all else—a discourse that bridges rather than divides. Many other pressing issues also demand attention: the cost of living, genuine coexistence with Israel's Arab citizens, the rising crime rates within that sector, and, of course, the question of equality in bearing the burden of military service. Above all, we long for leaders who will work to ensure the safety and security of the country's citizens, because harsh reality has proven that lasting peace remains a distant dream, and until it is achieved, the people of this land deserve to put their children to sleep at night with the confidence that no oppressor or terrorist will tear them from their beds. So yes, the air is heavy and dense, the atmosphere is tense, and all of us are weary, but never despairing. Especially as we approach Rosh Hashanah, we must illuminate the good—the beauty with which our land has been blessed. So here, in brief, are a few of the sweet fruits of this past year. The State of Israel has been blessed with countless nonprofit and volunteer organizations dedicated to doing good for others. They reach out to those in need, forming an exemplary society that helps citizens restore, rehabilitate, and weather the crisis. We have come to understand that true repair will come from within, not from our leaders or elected officials but from the people themselves. This year we witnessed a record number of social initiatives, including a notable new accelerator program founded by the Joint Distribution Committee and the National Insurance Foundations and run by the Israeli Center for Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation. When the JCC Movement's leadership delegation visited the initiative this past summer, we met Sigal, mother of Norel and Noya, who were murdered at the Nova Music Festival. She now works to honor her daughters' memory through social initiatives—alongside other entrepreneurs who have turned personal crisis into ventures built to heal. This was also an especially good year for Israeli high-tech. Even in the face of external shocks, the industry demonstrated remarkable resilience and thrived amid uncertainty. High-tech output grew and was responsible for nearly half of the country's total economic growth—an impressive figure given the circumstances. Despite the ongoing war, drought, and economic challenges, Israeli agriculture quite literally flourished, even though it was among the casualties of October 7 and the war that followed. Most foreign workers fled Israel, leaving farmers without field hands, and it was only the massive surge of volunteers from Israel and around the world that saved the produce—that knows no difference between times of peace and times of crisis. This year, the country set out to reclaim its agricultural glory, bringing the fields of the Negev and the north back into bloom under the simple slogan of 'more'—bigger, better, more innovative, more fruitful. The focus was rebuilding and renewal in the face of all-consuming destruction. Israel's agricultural success is known throughout the world, and this year we were blessed with cross-continental partnerships in countries around the world that adopted some of our country's agricultural innovations. The Israel Film Fund accompanied several productions that reached prestigious international competitions, and despite anti-Israel noise and politically tainted voting by some countries, Israel won second place in the Eurovision Song Contest. And finally, after the Maccabiah Games were postponed for a year due to the war, this past summer, thousands of athletes from across the Jewish world gathered in Israel for sports and festivities to celebrate Jewish peoplehood, resilience, and national pride. For just a moment, let's set aside the news, close our ears to the divisive discourse, and dare to look beyond the politics and beyond the anger toward the treetops. There, birdsong can still be heard. There, blue clouds herald the arrival of autumn. There, the greening fields promise renewal. Indeed, we have been granted a beautiful patch of earth, forever beloved, that is home to a wondrous people. Soon the day will arrive when we will sing together, And the distance will just disappear And children will smile, In a world that's gotten better, Wait and see, wait and see, what a world there can be, BaShana, baShana, haba'a. Shanah tovah u'metukah | A good and sweet New Year, Leah Leah Garber is a senior vice president of JCC Association of North America and director of its Center for Israel Engagement in Jerusalem.