I recently returned from a solidarity mission to Israel. It was very special to be there as hostages began returning home and I was able to meet families waiting for their loved ones’ release. I also traveled to the site of the Nova Music Festival and Kibbutz Kfar Aza – sites of unspeakable horrors nearly 18 months ago. There were no words.

In the Jewish tradition, we often say in the face of great tragedy, there are no words, yet we find our way to remembering and resilience through language, prayer and words of comfort.

There are times we all find ourselves without words to express the gravity of what happened. Yet, when we remember the time before, we begin to find our words again. Words of hope, resilience, and joy that carry us forward.

In an exhibition at the National Library of Israel families of hostages were asked to choose a book their loved one enjoyed, which is displayed on a chair with the name and photo of each hostage. They will remain there until every individual being honored returns home.

It’s a beautiful way to remember each hostage for their whole life, not just the worst days of it. And it’s an exhibition that helps us find our words again. For when we remember and share moments of hope and joy, we begin to heal and to light the path forward.

While speaking with families of hostages and others in Israel, I shared the story of The Tree of Life and the lessons I’ve learned in my time in Pittsburgh. I told them about the courage and resilience of the families, survivors and congregations here and what healing from communal trauma can look like. I shared that words return because the story didn’t end.

You all are the incredible proof of how the story continues when we take care of each other and imagine a world of hope and possibility. Our journey may be daunting, and there may be more times we find ourselves without words as we gather the pieces of our broken world and rebuild it as we believe it can be. But I know that together we will succeed.

In the coming days and weeks, I look forward to sharing exciting updates from The Tree of Life as we create a locally grounded institution with broad national impact and reach. I invite you to follow along on Facebook or Instagram, and ask your friends and neighbors to join us by subscribing for updates.

Thank you for your continued support of our community and our mission to uproot antisemitism by remembering those taken from us and building across differences to repair our world.

Carole Zawatsky
CEO, The Tree of Life