October 7 Changed Our Lives
Remembering a traumatic year
Today is the one year anniversary of the horrific massacres and crimes committed by Hamas in Israel. Because our enemies perpetrated this historic crime against the Jewish people, we have been at war for the past year. We seem to be facing many more months of war before our enemies have been defeated. We’ve asked the writers at Canadian Zionist Forum to write articles to mark this anniversary. Today we have a highly personal article by Fred Litwin. It’s been a harrowing year for Fred and for the rest of us. Please read Fred’s thoughts below.
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Someone posted this on Facebook with the caption, “Want to know how Jews are doing? This is how we're doing.”
Like 9/11, I will always remember where I was on October 7th.
My partner and I were in Toronto visiting his relatives for the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. I woke up early and Andrew said that something horrible was happening in Israel. I figured it was another rocket attack and I then checked my phone.
Indeed, rockets were being fired at Israel, and it appeared that there were a few incursions in the south. It was all unclear what was happening, but, by early morning, there was no doubt that Israel was under a major attack.
Every time I checked the news, the casualty count increased. First it was 100 dead, then 200, and by the time Thanksgiving dinner was served, it was almost a thousand. We ate a terrific turkey dinner, but I was not in a thankful mood.
And the casualty counts, and the number of hostages kept increasing.
By the end of the weekend, I could hardly contain myself. But my partner’s family was oblivious to what was happening. Not because they are hostile to Israel, but because it’s just not on their radar screen.
And that seemed to be a perfect metaphor for the country. An awful lot of people in Canada just don’t think of Israel or the Jewish community. They’ve got other things on their minds: work, family, making ends meet, and let’s be honest, they’re not going to get much from the mainstream media that might tell them that, “the Jews are a tad uncomfortable.” Canadians relying on the CBC won’t have a clue.
I soon got used to a new routine. I would get up in the early morning to check Twitter on my phone to see how many Israeli troops had been killed, and how many rockets had been fired by Hezbollah into Israel. By the afternoon, I would check to see the end of day reports from Israel. And then in the evening, I could catch up on the latest Canadian horror stories – be they Hamas rallies across the country, attacks on a synagogue or school, or the latest antisemitic incidents.
My iPhone had morphed into an antisemitism/antizionism news machine. And every time I glanced at my phone I wondered what new horror awaited me. I was never disappointed. There was always something.
As for some wisdom about October 7th… all I can point to is the massive fecklessness of our western leaders. It seems their only interest is a rising stock market or low oil prices. Do anything to disrupt that and they’ll be upset. And so de-escalation and ceasefire are the new synonyms for appeasement.
I could just hear Justin Trudeau during the Second World War demanding the Allies ceasefire for 21 days and for the Nazis to put Auschwitz on hold for a few weeks. Maybe cooler heads could prevail.
And my new favorite word is “Don’t”. Nothing beats a one-word warning to the Khomeinists.
Don’t. I’ll have to add it to my personal repertory.
Proportionality is back in a big way. It’s like a summer rerun. It always returns. Have you looked up proportionality in the new dictionaries?
Proportionality: A war doctrine that applies only to the State of Israel. Respond lightly. Small. Tiny.
Trudeau, Macron and the others will swear on a Christian bible that Israel has a right to self-defense, but just don’t use our weapons, and please check the definition of proportionality. And why don’t you send more aid into Gaza, while you’re at it.
Kamala Harris lectured the Israelis that going into Rafah was a bad idea. She had seen the maps. Has she admitted she was totally wrong? Does anybody want to ask her if the Biden administration was wise to negotiate with the Khomeinists on their nuclear program for four years?
I’ve never seen Israel so isolated. Whenever there is talk of a post October 7th Gaza, why is it always Israel who must have a solution? Every Arab country, even the signatories to the Abraham accords, won’t have anything to do with a governing body for Gaza.
Egypt looked the other way, for years, while Hamas smuggled weapons through the Philadephi corridor. Why is it only up to Israel to present a solution?
And no matter how much evidence Hillel Neuer provides about UNRWA’s relationship with Hamas and the events on October 7th, western leaders are ever more determined that it should stay alive. Ask them why and they’ll smile, and they’ll tell you there is no alternative.
I’ve also never seen the Jewish community so isolated. Where are our allies? Our politicians will do everything possible to fight antisemitism except for action. How many times have you heard, “It’s not us. This is not Canada”.
I am very fortunate that I have some very supportive friends. They get it, and I love them for it. But I don’t see how my life will get back to normal. Moving to Israel is always a possibility but even Israel is now becoming a hazardous place for Jews…
We are grateful to Fred for his frank description of what the year has been like.
No matter how grim things may seem, Jewish life continues. Jews have just marked the beginning of the year 5785 and this coming Shabbat is also Yom Kippur, the day that we fast and hold ourselves to account for our conduct before God. It is also the day that we appeal to heaven for blessings in the year to come. This year the appeal for blessings will be even more fervent than usual for many of us.
Our inbox is full of articles trying to come to grips with the meaning of October 7. Family in Israel have watched one of two competing memorial ceremonies and moved on to face another day of bombardment from all directions and ground war on two fronts. This is the existence we face for the foreseeable future. For those of us observing, let’s say extra prayers this year for the release of our captives and the safety of our soldiers.
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Your words capture what many of us think and have felt over the past year Fred. And the fact that it is 'not on their radar screen' is a sad reflection of where we are at as a western democracy where supposedly everyone is well educated and engaged. Not. I spent a good part of the past twelve months explaining the most basic facts about the Middle East to people, because it does impact all of us. That way it got on people's radar screen, hopefully. But it is hard work and I commend you for your efforts.
It is the beginning of a New Year, but certainly not like the secular "out with the old and in with the new". The offensive in Gaza is going "well" whatever that means, but every day is different and a continuation of Oct 7, 2023. May it only get better. Shana tova. We have to as always, depend on ourselves as Jews.