This week’s JCC State of Mind is written by Rabbi Hindy Finman, Senior Director of Jewish Life

It’s normal to feel a loss of hope and direction when there is so much heaviness in our hearts and in our communities. I learned early on that my rabbinic responsibility is to honor and respect people where they are on their personal journey; to acknowledge the pain and loss of hope and remind us that it’s kosher to make the space for joy amid wars and a polarizing election season – that’s Judaism at its very core. While the Jewish calendar commemorates times for grief, reflection, and intense prayer, we also have days dedicated to incorporating joy into our lives.
We are in the middle of Sukkot (eve of October 16-October 25th), a holiday bearing the name Zman Simchateinu, a time for celebration. It is a mitzvah, commandment, or good deed, to invite joy into our lives during this week-long festival. Yet how can we do this while we are marking the yahrzeit, Hebrew anniversary, of the attack on Israel which occurs on the holiday of Shemini Atzeret? How can our community reclaim this as a day of celebration?

I’m truly grateful for our youngest JCC members who bring that joy and awe as they play in the courtyard each day, which I can see from my office window. Watching them is a daily reminder of the happiness they bring to our community. After a heavy conversation, reading difficult news, or when hope feels elusive, I look out this window. I see kids running around laughing with each other, teachers engaged with our little ones, and a beautiful blue sky. This gives me hope.

This community gives me hope. The JCC’s Season of Hope engaged nearly 1,000 people through a series of impactful programs, beginning with Rosh Chodesh Elul in collaboration with 10.27 Healing Partnership. We also set intentions for the season, engaged in meaningful dialogue around brave spaces with Mohammad Darawshe, and packed 1,500 care kits for vulnerable populations on Rosh Hashanah through our Start the New Year with A Mitzvah program in partnership with Community Day School and St. Edmund’s Academy. Our community’s involvement underscored the need for hopeful Jewish spaces.

On Yom Kippur, we gathered to hear powerful stories of resilience and transformation from individuals who overcame addiction and substance abuse. Their voices at our Saving the World, One Life at a Time program resonated with hope, as they spoke not only of their struggles and triumphs, but also of the strength they found in giving back. Through their careers, advocacy, public service and volunteerism, they instill optimism to believe in the possibility of change and the impact one individual can have on the lives of others.

We received training on how to use Narcan, medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, and distributed Overdose Prevention Kits from the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) which is a way each of us can impact one individual and potentially save a life. This gives me hope.

These actions demonstrate our commitment to ensuring our communities can embrace both the “oy and the joy”. Let us come together to show up for each other, for celebrations and vigils, to engage in challenging conversations, AND to dance with our children and celebrate the conclusion of this joyous holiday, Sukkot – because it’s Zman Simchateinu.

A special thank you to all our volunteers, partnering organizations and JCC staff during this Season of Hope.

Chag Sameach,

Rabbi Hindy Finman