Many Jewish holidays and rituals combine celebration and the acknowledgement of hardship and loss. But Sukkot and Simchat Torah are holidays of pure joy. Sukkot is also called “the Holiday” because it is meant to be so joyful. And Simchat Torah has the word happiness in its very name. But since Simchat Torah of 2023, which was October 7 on the secular calendar, our celebrations are mixed with grief and memories of shock. Three years later, the shock, sadness and fear continue to reverberate in our communities and our hearts. And for the loved ones of the Israelis and others who lost their lives that day, their losses are ongoing.
Based in deep wisdom about grief, Jewish mourning practices create times and places for us to remember, mourn, honor and celebrate the lives of people who have died but live on in our memories and our lives. We light yartzheit candles, share memories, take care of each other.
But Simchat Torah and October 7th are not normal yartzheits. These dates on the Jewish and secular calendars now mark a tragedy whose healing will take enormous time. They also mark the beginning of another horrendous and heartbreaking chapter in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, during which tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed, antisemitic activity has grown worldwide, our Jewish world has become deeply internally strained, and Israel is used as a political wedge to distract from other problems as fundamental elements of our own democracy are threatened.
And so, tomorrow night, we will come together to celebrate with our beautiful, growing community. We will celebrate Shabbat, read from and dance with the Torah, play music and enjoy each other’s company. And we will also remember and honor those who died on this date three years ago, and find comfort and strength with each other. I look forward to being with you and cherishing our community together.
Rabbi Julie Saxe-Taller
Simchat Torah – Celebration and Commemoration
October 2, 2026 by Rabbi Julie Saxe-Taller • D'var Torah, Julie Saxe-Taller
Many Jewish holidays and rituals combine celebration and the acknowledgement of hardship and loss. But Sukkot and Simchat Torah are holidays of pure joy. Sukkot is also called “the Holiday” because it is meant to be so joyful. And Simchat Torah has the word happiness in its very name. But since Simchat Torah of 2023, which was October 7 on the secular calendar, our celebrations are mixed with grief and memories of shock. Three years later, the shock, sadness and fear continue to reverberate in our communities and our hearts. And for the loved ones of the Israelis and others who lost their lives that day, their losses are ongoing.
Based in deep wisdom about grief, Jewish mourning practices create times and places for us to remember, mourn, honor and celebrate the lives of people who have died but live on in our memories and our lives. We light yartzheit candles, share memories, take care of each other.
But Simchat Torah and October 7th are not normal yartzheits. These dates on the Jewish and secular calendars now mark a tragedy whose healing will take enormous time. They also mark the beginning of another horrendous and heartbreaking chapter in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, during which tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed, antisemitic activity has grown worldwide, our Jewish world has become deeply internally strained, and Israel is used as a political wedge to distract from other problems as fundamental elements of our own democracy are threatened.
And so, tomorrow night, we will come together to celebrate with our beautiful, growing community. We will celebrate Shabbat, read from and dance with the Torah, play music and enjoy each other’s company. And we will also remember and honor those who died on this date three years ago, and find comfort and strength with each other. I look forward to being with you and cherishing our community together.
Rabbi Julie Saxe-Taller