Today we mark the painful anniversary of one year since the horrific Hamas terror attacks in Israel. 1,200 people were killed - Israelis, foreign nationals, and dual citizens, including eight Canadians. 6,900 others were injured, and over 250 were taken hostage to Gaza. 105 hostages were released during a six-day ceasefire at the end of November, eight were rescued by the IDF, and four were released by Hamas. 37 bodies have been repatriated to Israel. 101 hostages remain in Gaza. Over 100,000 Israelis have been displaced from both the North and South of the country, with no clear timeline or resolution for return.
For many Israelis and Canadian Jews, this day must stand on its own, must be granted space for the deep sorrow and grieving that is still very much being felt and is still very much alive.
It has been said that Jews don’t have history, we have memories, and that our memories are alive and present, not merely a retelling of the past.
Therefore, the memory of the horrors of October 7 is still very much alive - it is our history, our present, and our future. But as long as memories are alive, as long as history continues to shape the present, then memory is also alive in everything that has happened since October 7.
101 hostages still remain captive in Gaza. The war has expanded, with rockets raining down on the north of Israel daily, and attacks coming from Iran, Yemen, Hizbollah, and Hamas. Over 100,000 Israelis are displaced from the North and South of the country.
The result of Israel’s war in response to the Hamas terror attacks of October 7 has killed over 41,000 Palestinians, with over 95,000 injured and close to two million displaced. 500 people have been killed in the Israeli strikes on Lebanon, including two Canadians, and one million Lebanese have been displaced.
There is a reason that it is challenging to keep October 7 frozen in time, a day that stands on its own, and that is because, unlike other attacks on the Jewish people in our history, on this day one year ago, we had sovereignty, could choose to respond, and could choose how to respond.
This is one of the greatest accomplishments of the Jewish people in the modern era - sovereignty and self-determination in our ancestral homeland. It gives us the choice and agency to respond to attacks against us.
Now, one year after the October 7 attacks and the ensuing war in Gaza which is rapidly expanding to multiple fronts, another choice must be made - a choice to end the war through a negotiated agreement that includes the release of the hostages. A choice to not live forever by the sword, to not be a nation that dwells alone. A choice to resume two-state negotiations in the context of broader regional normalization.
As we mourn today, and as we keep our memories alive, we must also consider what memories we want to create. Sovereignty is a blessing, but it is also a responsibility. A responsibility to create a homeland that is safe, secure, and at peace. We must recommit to creating memories that fulfill this responsibility.