Very dear friends, Shalom.
In these literal Days of Awe, how can we find the island of serenity that we all long for? Allow me to share with you one personal reflection from Rosh Hashana.
During the holiday prayers, to my right, at the end of the aisle, sat a young man on a wheelchair with two small children by his side. His little daughter was stroking his right hand, and his son was covering his unmoving face with tender kisses. When their eyes met with his, you could almost sense an invisible smile softening his face.
Danny’s spine was hit by bullets in a Gaza ambush. It took him weeks just to wake up from coma, and doctors said it would be a miracle if he survives.
Now, surrounded by family, and community, it felt like we all pulled together to sing the holiday melodies even louder for Danny. It was as if to reassure him that we are firmly with him on his road to recovery, with full energy and love.
To me, moments like these prove the power of community, and how each individual thread builds up the strength of the entire fabric. In a nutshell, this is our Village Way mission and this is what we do for Israel: turning educational frameworks across the country into resilient communities of meaning.
October 7th, 2023 was an apocalyptic day, forever etched in our hearts. Yet even one year later, the tragedy of October 7th has not yet come to an end. While it’s all too easy to fall into despair, the choice is ours to lift our chin up and face each day with determination and a spirit of Tikkun.
Returning to Danny’s smile, I recall the words of Psalms 8, in which even the Almighty derives strength from the children and the young. Our educational work, building up a resilient young generation, is an endless source of energy, empowering us to move forward through thick and thin, never forgetting our great vision for Israel and for our people.
Bless you for standing with us,
B’Tikvah,
Chaim Peri