Trauma and joy in this time of uncertainty

posted by on Oct 7, 2024

Every summer at Tel Yehudah is filled with joy. It comes from the counter cultural world our staff create. It comes from being with new and old friends 24/7. It comes from the diverse and playful program. It comes from the beauty of Tel Yehudah’s physical space. It comes from deep inside our Jewish culture and teachings. It comes from warm summer nights. It comes from new adventures. It comes from not being in the confines of school. It comes from not getting notifications all day on our phones. And it comes because every one of us deeply needs joy.

It feels like the joy at TY was a bit more heightened this past summer. We were so very aware that joy is the most important antidote to trauma. It was reflected in so much of what we did this summer and the intention we brought with us. And I think it helped our chanichim (campers) and tsevet (staff) from all over the world (including  30 from Netiv Ha’asara, a moshav decimated on October 7th) find balance in our lives.

And as we approach October 7th, once again, it is clear that we are all still in the trauma. It is in the giant holes still in our hearts left by the loss of so many of our people, including four beloved members of the TY community: Gili, Yuval, Re’em, and Laor. It remains in the constant fear we have for the lives of Omer Neutra and all of the hostages whose fate and future remain unclear. And it remains in the ongoing war that is taking the lives of our friends and family in Israel, leaving communities in a constant state of danger, causing intolerable and unimaginable suffering throughout the region, and creating deep unease amongst Jews around the world.

On this cool autumn day, with the leaves starting to turn, and winter not far off, it’s hard to imagine a summer filled with joy. It’s hard to imagine hundreds of us dancing on Saturday night or breaking out Maccabiah. Joy feels like a distant memory. Today we mourn and pray and hope for a different future for all.

And how and when will we find our joy again? I don’t have a good answer for that today. So I will just listen to the words of Gili’s parents, Orna and Eldad: We humbly ask, for our daughter, that you search for a sliver of joy wherever you can find it right now and share it with whoever you can. We will do just that.

Please take a few moments to read Orna and Eldad’s important article about Gili, their visit to TY this summer, and how we all might bring her “ray of sunshine” to wherever we are.

In this new year, may we all find the strength to create the world in which we truly seek to live in AND to find our way back to joy and peace.

David Weinstein
Executive Director, Tel Yehudah

Read:  Hamas murdered our daughter. This is what she’d tell American Jews right now. Orna and Eldad Adar