Jews bound together in mourning and resolve

Not one Jew has been left untouched by the events of 7 October 2023. We think first of our Israeli brothers and sisters: of families who lost loved ones; of communities shattered; of those defending Israel’s borders. The interconnectedness of our people is painful, but like the roots of a tree, it’s what gives us strength.

Those roots extend beyond Israel’s borders, binding Jews across the world together in mourning and in resolve. The reverberations of 7 October continue to shape our world, our community, and our lives. The shock of the attacks – the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust – is still with us, and the stories of loss and courage remain seared in memory. Families were torn apart, lives irrevocably changed. The unknown state of the hostages still being held has left us holding our collective breath.

In the Western Cape, our community faces a unique set of challenges: standing in solidarity with the people of Israel; confronting Jew-hatred; and resisting efforts to delegitimise our very existence. Yet our history, traditions, and community remain our anchors. And the Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) will continue to protect our rights as Jews in the Western Cape and ensure that our way of life prospers.

And so, today, with Jews everywhere, we say the words of the kaddish:
“Yitgadal v’yitkadash sh’mei rabbah” (May His great name be exalted and sanctified)

May the memory of those lost be a blessing; may the remaining hostages be returned to their loved ones; may this war come to a swift end; and may all of us know peace.

• Daniel Bloch is the executive director of the Cape SAJBD.