Dear friends,
This Thursday will be the holiday of Simchas Torah – the one year anniversary on the Hebrew calendar of the atrocities of October 7…
The question is, how will we mark a day traditionally observed with unrestrained singing and dancing in celebration of our Torah and tradition, knowing that it was on that very day – just one year ago – that so much pain and suffering was inflicted upon our people?...
How will we celebrate it?...
The answer is, we know exactly how we’re going to celebrate it!...
Can we dance with a broken heart?... The answer is: we must – and therefore we can…. We can – and therefore we must…
My friends, as counterintuitive as it may sound, this coming Simchas Torah Eve on Thursday, October 24, must be the most joyous one ever!... We strongly encourage and urge each and every one to show up at Chabad of Naples that night at 7:00pm – with your dancing shoes on!...
Bring your immediate and extended family, and all of your friends and neighbors along with you!... Most of all, bring your children and grandchildren!… Let them see what “Am Yisrael Chai!” looks like – in real life, in real time!... Let them see how we celebrate our enduring legacy of truth and holiness, so that they can one day pass it on to their children and grandchildren!…
If during the Yom Kippur Yizkor we are bringing the souls of those we lost into our Shuls with our prayers, on Simchas Torah, we will bring them into that room with our dancing!… We will sing and dance, and dance some more – and all of those “Kedoshim-Holy Souls of the IDF Soldiers, all the Holy Souls lost on Oct 7 and onwards" will be dancing right along with us!…
So please mark your calendar for Thursday, October 24, as we celebrate a Simchas Torah for the ages!...
L'Chayim & Delicious dinner sponsored by Scott, Hetty & Michael Weinstein!!
Each Hakafa will be dedicated to those who inspire us and are fighting for the Jewish people.
People like Rami, a 58-year-old farmer with no combat experience, jumped into his car and headed straight into the line of fire at the Nova Festival. Rami spent 48 hours driving back and forth between the battlegrounds and his community, rescuing 750 young people.
People like Noam, a young IDF reservist who grabbed a handgun and ran to help as soon as he heard the news. He and four other soldiers were the first to enter Kfar Aza, knowing full well they were heavily outnumbered. Noam fought off hundreds—of terrorists and saved countless lives fighting until his last bullet.
People like Rachel Pollin. For 330 days, Rachel prayed and campaigned relentlessly for her son and the other hostages’ freedom, never giving up hope. Tragically, Hersh was murdered by the terrorists just hours before IDF troops neared. Rachel’s faith did not shatter, and in a heart-rending speech at her son’s funeral, she said, “Finally, my sweet boy, finally, finally, finally, finally, you’re free."
We will dance with our children, with the Torah, and with each other and celebrate the Jewish nation that shows up brighter, stronger, louder, and prouder despite everything.
Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos