Weekly Torah Portion

Since October 7th, the Jewish people have faced an unprecedented wave of challenges. The level of antisemitism we are experiencing is unlike anything I have ever seen in my lifetime. It has been a painful wake-up call, a reminder that to the world, we are all simply Jews, regardless of how we define ourselves.

One of the struggles I’ve always had is how often Jews put each other into boxes—labeling, categorizing, and drawing lines between one another. I once heard a great line: “Don’t put me into a box until I’m dead.” And yet, time and again, we focus on what separates us instead of what unites us.

But if there is one truth that has become clearer than ever, it is that we cannot afford to be divided. We have enough enemies seeking to tear us down—we must not do their work for them. It doesn’t matter whether someone is Ashkenazi or Sephardic, religious or secular, right or left. What matters is that at our core, we are all part of Am Yisrael.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the hostage crisis in Israel. No one is asking what kind of Jews the hostages are, which customs they keep, or which synagogue they attend. They are simply our brothers and sisters. And the response has been overwhelming—Jews of every background have united in prayer, advocacy, and action, refusing to rest until every hostage is home.

If there is a silver lining in this painful time, it is the unity that has emerged among our people. I have seen it in the way communities have come together, in the way we have shown up for one another, in the way we have set aside differences for the greater good. This unity gives me hope.

Let’s not wait for tragedy to remind us of what we share. Let’s hold on to this strength, this connection, and this love for one another—not just in times of crisis, but always. When we stand together, we are unstoppable.