October 7, 2024 Reflections from NCJW CEO Sheila Katz
The following reflections were sent by NCJW CEO Sheila Katz to NCJW staff and stakeholders on October 7, 2024.
One year ago today, we were celebrating the giving of the Torah during the last of the High Holidays, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, when news began to break that something unprecedented was happening in Israel. It was clear right away that there was a large terror attack, but details would only emerge throughout that day and the days following about the extent of the October 7 attacks by Hamas.
I checked in with Kalela and Eynat, our colleagues on the ground, to see what they needed and better understand the rapidly unfolding situation. A few of us huddled right away about our organizational response and to prepare for what was next. As the holiday ended, NCJW jumped into action to respond.
In the days that followed, we created space for the NCJW community to come together and grieve the largest loss of Jews since the Holocaust. We quickly launched a campaign, Voices for Hostages, to draw attention to the hundreds of civilians taken hostage by Hamas and call for three things: 1) The immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas; 2) Humanitarian aid and medical care to be provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) until the hostages are released; and 3) The enforcement of international humanitarian law. One year later, these remain our asks and we express profound disappointment that the ICRC has yet to visit a single hostage in captivity.
We assessed needs on the ground and kicked off an emergency appeal for our Israel Granting Program to apply a gender lens to the crisis and strengthen efforts and approaches which place women, children, and families front and center. Grants were awarded to organizations, including the National Breast Milk Bank of Magen David Adom, the Counseling Center for Women, and Women Wage Peace. Additionally, we advised the Jewish Funders Network (JFN) and Jewish Federations of North America on the immediate gender needs in Israel from trauma counseling to childcare, resulting in over 8 million dollars allocated across Israeli organizations to help women, children, and families.
As the details of the attacks continued to emerge, we learned Israeli women and girls were systematically tortured and sexually assaulted before being killed — forever silenced by Hamas. And when evidence emerged indicating the use of rape as a weapon of war by Hamas, the voices we expected to speak up fell into the loudest silence we could have imagined.
We reached out to our longtime partner organizations, to share the pain that their silence was causing to the Jewish community. We made it clear that calling out the largest mass murder of Jews is not political — it is a moral imperative. We emphasized that more voices were needed to unequivocally state that rape is not resistance. Their silence risked normalizing these atrocities, and we needed their support to ensure this horror would never be repeated. Many then posted statements and took action we recommended to better support their Jewish staff. There is still more work to be done.
And we organized a special session at the United Nations — a session that they should have convened themselves — to bring to light the harrowing testimonies of victims and unequivocally condemn the rape and sexual violence committed by Hamas terrorists. This hearing reached over 80 million people, and its impact was profound. As a result, mainstream media shifted their language, changing the description of these horrific acts from “alleged” to “confirmed”. By amplifying the voices of those silenced, we made sure these acts of violence were recognized for what they were: undeniable and horrific violations of human dignity.
As the ensuing war in Gaza unfolded, we held the pain of Palestinian civilian loss of life with the pain of the hostages held by Hamas. We met in-person with President Biden, Prime Minister Netanyahu, Secretary Blinken, and many others to call for peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike. We continue to actively work for a safe and secure Israel while holding the humanity of all civilians in harm’s way.
It’s been a heartbreaking year as antisemitism skyrocketed around the globe, pervaded our social media feeds and reached new levels. It’s been a heartbreaking year as we’ve navigated incredibly difficult conversations with our organizational partners and faced new challenges with collaboration. It’s been a heartbreaking year as we’ve grieved loss of life, held our pain and anguish, and tried to see sparks of a brighter future.
I’m proud of all we have accomplished and the way we’ve led with moral clarity. Thank you for all you have done, all you have navigated, over this past year for our NCJW movement.
The work continues. Just yesterday, I joined Sheryl Sandberg at Columbia University for a panel discussion about the sexual violence of October 7th and what it means a year later. Afterwards, I met with Jewish feminist leaders on campus to discuss resilience and the impact they can still make. The hugs I received afterward said everything — they’ve been gaslit for a year, just like all of us. To feel heard, seen, and validated in their grief was powerful and long overdue. For so many of us, National Council of Jewish Women — our advocates, sections, friends, and community — has served as our lifeline, reminding us it’s okay to feel the heaviness of this tragedy.
Tomorrow evening at 8pm ET / 5pm PT, we’ll co-host a virtual screening of Screams Before Silence, a powerful and deeply important film that sheds light on the sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas. It is not an easy watch, but it is a necessary one. Following the screening, Sheryl Sandberg will moderate a critical panel discussion, which I will be part of, alongside representatives from other Jewish organizations. I hope you’ll log on to be in community with us to watch, grieve, and take action together. Register for the Zoom link here.
Vivian Silver, of blessed memory, founded Women Wage Peace, NCJW’s longtime partner in Israel. She was killed by Hamas on October 7th. I think of her often. I think of what it meant for someone so holy, so kind, so good — who advocated for peace the entirety of her life — to have it tragically cut short in such a horrific way. And I wonder what she would say to us now, one year later. I think she might have said two things: First, women must be at the negotiating table if there is going to be peace. So if there is no chair for us, grab one. And if there is no table for us, make one. And second, that peace is possible, if we continue to acknowledge that the way things are must change. That we can come together and build the world we want to live in for all of us and for our children and grandchildren. Peace is possible if we work every day for it.
Vivian’s tragic death is a sobering loss, but her vision for a world where peace is possible lives on. Her memory can show us the resilience of hope.
As the Jewish new year begins, I know we can find moments of sweetness while we continue to hold the pain. I know we can continue to work for a better future for all women, children, and families in the US and Israel.
May we soon know peace.
Warmly,
Sheila