I had occasion to visit StandWithUs’s exhibition called “Faces of October 7” yesterday at their center not far from the King David Hotel. Since there will be more visitors to Israel during Sukkot than there have been in a long time, I thought to share basic information about the exhibition.
First, a word of thanks.
It was almost three and a half years ago that Israel from the Inside launched. Our intention was to offer a window into a different side of Israel, less politics and conflict, and more music, poetry, history, ideas and dreams—the soul of a country that back then was a very, very different soul.
I had just started working with Haley Weinischke at that time, having brought her on board to work with me on the research and writing of Impossible Takes Longer: 75 Years After Its Creation, Has Israel Fulfilled Its Founders' Dreams? Thus together, in addition to working full steam on the book, we created Israel from the Inside, first the column, then adding the podcast.
For these three and a half years, Haley has been the consummate partner and colleague. There is not a dimension of Impossible Takes Longer or Israel from the Inside in which she has not played a central role. She has researched, written, brainstormed, edited audio files, added subtitles, worked with readers who’d run into tech problems. She’s reached out to guests to ask them to join us in conversation and prepped those conversations. When Judicial Reform split the country apart, and it became clear that we had to regroup and rethink the project, Haley was central to that. When October 7 happened, we had to pivot once again, with Haley’s intellect and soul shaping everything we’ve done.
After three and a half years, Haley has relocated and will soon be moving on to her next professional chapter. On behalf of all our readers and listeners, I wanted to thank her for everything she’s brought to this project, and to wish her well as she embarks on new paths.
I will always be grateful for the enormous privilege of having worked with her these years, for all she brought to our work together and for our friendship.
As mentioned above, if you are planning to be in Jerusalem before the end of October, or know of someone else who is, it’s well worth adding the exhibition at StandWithUs, “Faces of October 7” to your list of things to see and do.
It’s astonishing that a year in, knowing all the faces and having heard to many of the stories, how an exhibit can evoke deep emotions in yet a different way. The video at the top of this page (shared here with the permission of StandWithUs) is of Shani Louk’s father, Nissim, speaking at the opening.
The artist responsible for the portraits that are the heart of the exhibit (but there is more, too), Benzi Brofman, speaks here, also at the opening.
A year in, our hearts can still be broken, all over again.
In Israel, there’s a phrase much used this time of the year, אחרי החגים. Acharei Ha-Chagim. “After the holidays.” Nothing much happens here between now and the end of the holidays (Simchat Torah, its own unbearable anniversary), so as is true every year, we’ll be on a reduced posting schedule during Sukkot, too.
In coming weeks, we have, among others, podcasts coming with
RABBI IRVING (YITZ) GREENBERG, one of the most daring and insightful Orthodox rabbis and theologians of our era, who nows lives in Jerusalem and who will be sharing thoughts on his newly released book, The Triumph of Life: A Narrative Theology of Judaism.
LEE YARON, a reporter for Haaretz, speaks with us about her new book about the events of October 7, a book that’s different in approach from many of the others, 10/7: 100 Human Stories
DANI STEINER — Dani is a veteran Israeli educator who has also done extensive research on the very, very early Israeli “shelichim” (emissaries, like today’s Shin Shin’im) to the States. Turns out that Louis Brandeis’ Zionism, Ben-Gurion’s political acumen and much more emerged from this.
AVIVA KLOMPASS AND DYONNA GINSBURG— Many people have spoken about Israelis’ resilience during this war. What is its source. In her new book, Stand-Up Nation: Israeli Resilience in the Wake of Disaster, Aviva Klompass (and Dyonna Ginsburg (who has been on our podcast in the past), who the book’s forward) point a long-standing Israeli tradition of helping other countries that now came home to roost in the best possible way.
ARIEL LEVINSON—What in the world is a “secular yeshiva”? Ariel should know, since he founded one. He explains how, having grown up in the religious world, he came to create such a place of learning, and what he hopes it will do for Israeli society.
AVI DABUSH—There’s a secular yeshiva and a new rabbinic ordination program for “training a diverse group of visionary Israeli leaders to advance a vibrant, pluralistic, values-based Judaism.” We hear from Avi Dabush about the program, which he just completed.
And more …
A word of profound thanks to a friend and colleague ... and a heartbreaking exhibition