High Holidays

Dear Friends,

There’s no other way to say it - this has been a very difficult year for our brothers and sisters in Israel, as well as for Jews worldwide.  Yet amidst the challenges, we’ve seen a renewed sense of global Jewish unity and identity. 

I had the privilege to travel to Israel and represent our community twice in the past year. Both journeys were unforgettable, filled with profound lessons and memories. On our more recent trip, we spent some time at Hostage Square. We met and had a very powerful conversation with Dani Miran. His son, Omri, was taken hostage on October 7^th and Dani has tirelessly travelled around the world advocating for the safe return of his son and all of the hostages.

One particular story he shared is on my mind as I think about our shul, as I write this letter:

After learning that his son had been kidnapped, Dani came to Tel Aviv from where he lives three hours north. He didn’t know what to do — he just knew he had to be around other families who understood the hell he was living.  Feeling like he was unable to wake from a nightmare, he arrived at Hostage Square.

There a stranger approached him, asking where he’d spend the night.  Dani had no place to stay, and the stranger insisted he come to his home. Dani politely declined but the stranger insisted, so Dani reluctantly accepted.

The stranger returned a few times that day to reiterate this offer, knowing Dani wouldn’t really take him up on his offer.  Later that night, the stranger returned and drove Dani in his car to his apartment. He brought him up to his flat and handed Dani the key, telling him that he would stay with his sister so Dani could have his own space.

Dani looked around at the beautiful home, saw the expensive art on the walls and the nice items on the shelves, and joked, “As soon as you leave, I’m taking all this nice stuff, putting it in a car, and driving away with it.”

The stranger smiled and said, “You have the key. Do with it as you please. This is your home.”

After a few days, the stranger learned that Dani was having trouble falling asleep with no TV in the bedroom. So the owner bought one and installed it. in the bedroom. Dani stayed in the flat for three months, and now these former strangers refer to each other as brothers.  There were never any questions about politics or religious beliefs, just a simple heartfelt message: This is your home. 

That’s Israel, that’s the Jewish people, and that is how I think of our shul – Machzikei Hadas – this is your home.

Machzikei Hadas is your home to forge connections with Hashem, with your community and with yourself. It is your home to grieve and rejoice. Your home to connect and grow in your Yiddishkeit, surrounded by loving, non-judgemental, and encouraging friends who feel like family. In your darkest hours and your brightest days, this is your home – a home that has held even greater importance this past year. 

We love welcoming you into your home here at Machzikei Hadas, and if you haven’t been in a while, we look forward to welcoming you back home.

With gratitude and love,

Rabbi, Shifra, Shlomo, Esther, and Shayna Yonina Scher.