Here are the two authors, Tamar and Lila, helping Rabbi Jonathan Bubis, the Rav Beit Hasefer, lead tefillah in song and dance last fall, to remind our classmates that עוד נרקוד שוב, “We will dance again.”
Saturday, October 7, 2023
Lila: My family and I were out of town in Minnesota, visiting family. I was relaxing in their cozy living room, watching TV when a few family members came in and told me Israel was under attack. My heart sank, and I was horrified beyond belief. I thought it would be just a small fight and maybe it would take a few weeks, but it was so much more.
Tamar: It was Shemini Atzeret, and I was at home in Highland Park, Illinois. I had just woken up, and when I went downstairs, my dad was watching the news on the TV. I started glancing at the TV a little bit, then more and more. The broadcasters reported that some terrorists were going into Israel and killing people. I tried to stay calm, but my heart was broken.
Monday, October 9
Soon after, we figured out that people who lived in Israel were captured and held hostage. We saw pictures, and some of the places looked like a dark tunnel-shaped dungeon which ominously made us think that their lives might end there. We learned that most hostages were dying from starvation and thirst. Some hostages are given only one piece of pita and about one cup of water each day.
October 13
On this day, Hamas declared a day of rage. This day was very challenging for our community and our school. Hamas demanded all of their people kill all of the Jews around the world. Our school took matters into their own hands. The head of the school, Dr. Kushnir, asked some of the Northbrook Police officers to come and guard our school. Also, we had our usual Schechter security guards guarding as well. At this point, the school had guards patrolling every floor, and outside there were even more. Some of the parents decided it was safer for the kids to stay home for the day. Our parents decided it was safe enough for us to come to school. When we drove up to the drop-off zone, we got out of our cars, and multiple guards greeted us sympathetically.
May 13, 2024
Israel’s Independence Day, Yom Haatzma'ut. This day was tough on the Jewish people because it was bittersweet; we had to be happy while being sad. Our school usually has a big festival parade and a fun day. But this day was not a usual Yom Haatzma'ut. We had an assembly to discuss the unfortunate events that happened on October 7. Then, we did a few Israeli dances to remind us that we would dance again. Finally, we sang Hatikvah as loud and as meaningfully as we ever have.
October 7
On the anniversary, everybody at school was glum. We might have seen one or two smiles throughout the whole day. We cried multiple times and often noticed people grieving. Towards the end of the day, we all gathered in the gym for another all-school assembly. We talked about the challenging event of October 7 and why we are here right now. We ended with a meaningful Hatikvah. As we were leaving, we walked past the front of the stage and saw many chairs with hostages that were captured and with flowers on the chairs.
January 17, 2025
Lila: A little more than a year has gone by, and my feelings have only gotten stronger. Now, Israel and Hamas have made a deal that they are going to release the hostages. We don’t know if they’re going to change their mind about the deal at any moment, or how many hostages are alive. They are also going to temporarily stop the war and trade Israel‘s prisoners for the hostages. They’re sadly only stopping the war for two weeks about 27 days. Thank God the deal has happened, and we are praying that this deal stays.
January 19
Tamar: Today, three of the hostages were released. I feel like one little, tiny rock got off my heart, but there are still around 60 rocks left. We don't even know if some of the hostages are alive or not. My mind is full of many emotions right now: a little hope, some celebrating, and still lots of fear and uncertainty. I saw the pictures and videos of the hostages being released to the IDF and reunited with their moms. Everyone must be so relieved. I hope the rest of them are released soon.
Life at School
Tamar: I think the school handled it well. Our school has many social workers we can talk to at any time. At the beginning of September, we filled out a survey that said who we feel comfortable talking to in hard times. We were able to select any teacher in fifth and sixth grade. I feel that that was helpful for me; if I am in a fight with friends, teachers know who I feel comfortable talking to. I feel my school is a safe environment to express my emotions and opinions. My teachers respect my point of view, and my classmates treat me with respect when we discuss hard topics.
In tefillah, after every Torah service, we sing Hatikvah. Even though my friends and I may be goofing around when the Torah is put away, we start settling down because we know we are going to say Hatikvah soon. Hatikvah means a lot to me, because it connects me to Israel.
Lila: I also felt very comfortable sharing my feelings and emotions at school. Home and school were my safe places. I could cry, talk and think about October 7 in these environments. I am so thankful for everything the school did to make students feel better about the situation.
