News Highlights Listening to the Voices of Israel
We must listen. We must listen to the stories of those on the ground in Israel, those immediately affected by the attacks of Hamas. On October 11, Hebrew College’s online event “Voices of Israel — Circle of Sharing and Prayer” gave us this opportunity to listen to the stories of Israelis living through this war.
President Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld shared a brief kavannah on sacred listening to open the event, and throughout the hour, Hebrew College’s Rosh Tefillah and Artist-in-Residence Rabbi Jessica Kate Meyer `14 and French-Israeli singer and artist Miléna Kartowski-Aiach set the tone by singing niggunim and prayers before and in-between the stories shared by our beloved community members in Israel.
“So many of us have been calling family and friends, while staying glued to news outlets. When I called my friend Myriam (above right), an Israeli educator, climate and peace activist, on sabbatical in Vermont this semester, she had just gotten off the phone with her cousin, Danielle, from the South. Myriam and I wanted our American communities to hear Danielle’s story, as well as stories from other Israeli survivors of the attack, in a communal context, not as part of a news report. We also wanted Israelis from the war zone to feel support and love from our communities in the US,” said Meyer about organizing the event. (Right: Messages of support from attendees)
We were blessed to hear from Israeli friends living in the south of Israel: Elinor Bariach, an educational director from Kibbutz Kfar Azza, and Dr. Danielle Rubin (above, left), a teacher in Sderot & community organizer in Netivot, who shared their personal stories about their experiences of violence, terror, displacement, and fear over the course of the past few days. Bariach and Rubin are friends of Hebrew College through an anonymous donor.
Read Danielle’s testimonial | Read Elinor’s testimonial | A Prayer for the Missing
This Hebrew College event was in partnership with Ohavi Zedek Congregation, Burlington, Vermont, and was moderated by Myriam Darmoni.