JCPA Marks Sukkot Amid Joy and Pain Two Years After October 7th Attacks

As the Jewish people enter the festival of Sukkot—a time of immense joy and celebration—we also carry the profound pain of the October 7th attacks, the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Two years later, the grief has not subsided: hostages remain in captivity, war continues, and innocent lives are still being taken.

Sukkot is known as z’man simchateinu—the Time of our Happiness. It is both an agricultural celebration of thanksgiving and a commemoration of our ancestors’ forty years wandering in the desert, dwelling in fragile shelters. The sukkah, a temporary structure open to the elements, reminds us of life’s fragility. Yet it is also a place of gathering, resilience, and connection.

This year, we embody the paradox at the heart of Sukkot: holding joy and sorrow side by side. We celebrate the beauty of our tradition and community while mourning the lives lost on October 7th and since. We pray for the hostages who remain in captivity, for an end to the war and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, for peace and safety for Israelis and Palestinians, and for the strength to resist despair.

We will also mark the anniversary of the October 7th attacks on the new national day of remembrance on 24 Tishrei (October 16th). May our sukkot—open to the sky and to one another—remind us that even in times of instability, we can find meaning, courage, and hope in community.