WHEN WAR HITS TOO CLOSE TO HOME: Together as Jewish Women* in a Post-Oct7 World
October 7th was an absolute calamity. More than three weeks later, we are still mourning the dead and praying for the hostages. And we are also dealing with other fallouts from that terrible day: the horror of sexual violence on Oct 7th, and denial from many corners that it even took place; betrayal from people we thought would stand with us but did not; echoes of the Holocaust and other past traumas. Let’s gather as a community of women* coming together in support through a time in history unlike most of us have ever experienced before. So many of us are feeling deep and new emotions these past weeks: grief, anxiety, trauma, anger, betrayal, gaslighting, fear, confusion.
Let’s hold each other and these emotions with the help of trauma-informed therapists, pastoral guides, and resiliency experts: Rav Sarah Mulhern, Rahel Bayar, Meira Ellias, LCSW, Natalie Block-Levin, LCSW, Liba Zweigbaum Herman, Halli Faulkner, JD, MAEd, E-RYT, YACEP, Rabbanit Aliza Sperling, and Janet Yassen, LICSW.
Important Note: This is not a space for politics. This is a space of holding and hearing each other’s pain, with particular tending to those of us who are activated by the current images and discourse around sexual violence, intergenerational trauma, and feelings of loneliness, betrayal, and grappling with elements of our Jewish identities.
*SVIVAH defines “Jewish women” as those wishing to be included in a circle of Jewish women. If you want to be with us, we want you with us, and welcome. Questions? Email connect@svivah.org
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