Thinking of Romi Gonen, Or Levy, and October 7th. It’s Friday.

Romi Gonen is a vivacious 23-year-old who loves life, music, travel, and leopard print. She is also one of the estimated 116 hostages still in Gaza 10 months after October 7^th.

Jewish Greater Washington community members meeting with the siblings of Romi Gonen and Or Levy

Last week, members of our community had the honor of meeting with the siblings of Romi and of Or Levy, a father and entrepreneur who is also being held. Romi and Or were both taken as hostages from the Nova Music Festival, where Or’s wife was murdered while they attempted to hide from Hamas. Our meeting was made possible by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a grantee of Federation’s Israel Crisis Relief Fund.

It was heartbreaking to hear Romi’s and Or’s stories, but the strength of their siblings was palpable. They left us with a message for our community: “Remember those lost, hear

the stories of those still missing, don’t forget the families who are still reliving the nightmare of October 7^th, and keep using our voices until they are all home.”

I encourage you to read each of the hostages’ stories and continue to be strong for Romi, Or, their families, and all the families in distress as the war continues.

This October 7^th, our community will come together to mark one year with a large-scale gathering. Read on for details on that, plus a prestigious award for a local leader and an insightful read for your weekend.

I’ll be away next week, but keep an eye out for my next It’s Friday on August 23^rd.

Shabbat Shalom,
Gil

Eye on Israel. We are carefully watching the situation in Israel, especially in the north. At Federation, our local and national response since October 7^th continues, and we’ve been in close contact with our partners in the Druze community following the devastating attack on Majdal Shams. More broadly, Jewish Federations have collectively raised over $852 million for the Israel Emergency Campaign, bringing hope and practical assistance to millions of Israelis.

Commemorating October 7^th Together. As we near the one-year mark since Hamas attacked Israel and our world changed drastically, I invite you to join the community-wide gathering on October 7, 2024 at The Anthem in Washington, DC. We’ll come together for an evening of remembrance, resilience, and hope for a brighter future. Register here.

Mazel Tov to Vivian Bass. I’m thrilled to share that incredible local leader, Vivian Bass, has been named Greater Washington’s Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland Award winner. Vivian will be celebrated this January at the International Lion of Judah conference as a Lion who has made a significant impact in the local and global Jewish community, led in creative ways to address community challenges, and set a standard for others to follow.

Weekend Read. Megan Reitz and Amy C. Edmonson’s article in Harvard Business Review highlights the importance of truly listening when someone speaks up, especially in challenging situations. Missing these moments can lead to long-term, unintended repercussions. While the article focuses on the workplace, many of the lessons are relevant to our daily lives, including how we show up in spaces with an intention to learn and how we encourage dialogue and create spaces for reflection and feedback during and after difficult conversations.