In the early hours of Oct. 7, 2023, as the Jewish community in Israel faced its gravest attack since the Holocaust, and while many Jewish communities around the world were still asleep, preparing to celebrate one of the happiest holidays in the Jewish calendar, my wife and I were blessed with the birth of our beautiful baby boy. Yet, that day, the world irrevocably changed. The holiday, typically filled with joy and celebration, took on a somber tone as we learned of the horrific events unfolding in Israel. As we marked the birth of our son, our hearts were heavy with the weight of the suffering endured by our people.
Now, nearly two weeks after his English birthday and just days before Simchat Torah (his Hebrew birthday), I find myself reflecting deeply on the profound intersection of his arrival and the significant events of this past year.
On Oct. 7, Hamas militants launched a devastating attack on Israel, the most severe assault on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. The news that followed was a relentless stream of grim images and reports of unimaginable suffering. While we celebrated our son’s arrival, our joy was tempered by the knowledge of the violence and loss our........