October 7 Anniversary: A Spiritual Response to the Hamas Massacre

One year ago, Israel experienced a large-scale, coordinated attack by the Palestinian-Islamic terrorist group Hamas, marking one of the most violent and deadly incidents in the region in years. The attack resulted in the deaths of more than 1,400 Israelis in one single day — including women, children and elderly people. The scale of death in such a short period was unprecedented in Israel’s modern history.

More than 200 individuals were taken hostage in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack, with only half accounted for now — one year later. In retaliation, Israel launched a significant air and ground operation in Gaza, resulting in heavy casualties there, as well, with thousands of Palestinians, including civilians, being killed. 

The deliberate targeting of civilians by Hamas, including the massacre of entire families, the execution of innocent people and reports of brutal acts like torture, rape, and desecration of bodies, shocked the global Jewish community and much of the world. The horrifying nature of the attacks recalled memories of genocidal violence and persecution against Jews throughout the short history of the nation of Israel and, of course, the Holocaust. 

Hamas attacked Israel as part of its goal to eliminate Jews and the Jewish state, a core tenet of its ideology. Since the creation of modern Israel in 1948, Jews have faced continuous existential threats from neighboring Arab nations and terrorist groups. Unlike other countries created after 1948 in the Near East, Israel is the world’s only Jewish-majority state. While there are 157 Christian-majority countries and 57 Muslim-majority ones in the world, Israel is the sole Jewish-majority nation. 

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