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This week, I examine the two presidential candidates’ conduct on the anniversary of Oct. 7, pick the distinguished person of the week and share a new art exhibit.
Monday was a painful, somber day for Jews around the world. Many of us remain scarred by the horrors of Hamas’s pogrom followed by a year of intensified antisemitism unlike anything since World War II. It was therefore of great comfort to see elected leaders treating the day with solemnity. President Joe Biden held a brief but moving ceremony at the White House. Lawmakers appeared at community events across the country.
Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff, who has made the fight against antisemitism a personal focus, held a profound ceremony at their residence. “This is an incredibly challenging day for Jews around the world — myself included,” Emhoff said. “Oct. 7 hit us hard as a community. We are still hurting. And today feels just as raw as it did one year ago. What happened on Oct. 7 is seared into our souls.” He added, “I can’t stop thinking about the hostages and their families and all of those we’ve lost over the past year.”
Harris also gave remarks, beginning with a highly personal statement reflecting on her reaction to the attack. She pledged to “work to ensure nothing like the horrors of Oct. 7 can ever happen again. And on this solemn day, I will restate my pledge to always ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and that I will always work to ensure the safety and security of the Jewish people here and around the world.” She continued: “I will never stop fighting for the release of all the hostages, including the American citizens” She read their names before expressing anguish over the suffering in Gaza and advocating for “peace, dignity and security.”
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She even included commentary on the Kaddish, resonating with millions of Jews:
For any elected leader, let alone one who is not herself Jewish, to so eloquently grasp American Jews’ emotions........