Media Roundup: One year of unspeakable loss.

_{Photo: JVP members gather for Tashlich in Detroit, Michigan (Andrew Mullin)}

For over 370 days, Israel has carried out a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

The Israeli military has slaughtered at least 42,000 men, women, and children. Thousands more remain buried under the rubble. But because Gaza’s hospitals and healthcare infrastructure have been systematically destroyed, counting the dead is next to impossible. Some estimates place the death toll in the hundreds of thousands.

As Jews, we believe that every person is a whole world, and every life lost an entire universe destroyed. This year, we marked one year of genocide — a year of unspeakable loss, rage, and grief — during the High Holy Days, which is a time for reflection, repentance, and renewal for Jews around the world. Across the country, JVP members held Tashlich ritual-actions to grieve the horrors of the last year, and to demand that the U.S. stop arming Israel.

We mourn every life lost in the last year, but we know that’s not enough. We must fight like hell for the living. That means continuing to cry out with everything we have to stop the horrors being carried out in our name.

I Run Jewish Voice for Peace. These Are My Reflections on a Year of Unthinkable Horror, TIME Magazine, October, 8 2024.

“The U.S. government is guilty of sending the Israeli military its murder weapons as it carries out what the International Court of Justice has called a plausible genocide of the Palestinian people, while also abandoning the hostages, and catapulting the region into a war that puts millions of lives in danger.”

Stefanie Fox, Executive Director, JVP

CT marks one year after Oct. 7 attack and start of Israel-Hamas war, New England Public Media, October 7, 2024.

As a Jewish community member, I choose to honor that grief by demanding that the U.S. government stop sending billions of dollars in weapons to Israel. Enough is enough. We must take action to prevent further loss of life.”

Miranda Rector, JVP-New Haven

One Year After October 7, Jewish Peace Group Says: ‘We Cannot Only Mourn’, Common Dreams, October 7, 2024

“But we cannot only mourn, with millions under current threat—we must fight like hell for the living. Today, we recommit ourselves to that fight: for an end to U.S. bombs and funding to the Israeli military.” 

Jewish Voice for Peace

Vermont’s Jewish Voice for Peace marks anniversary with healing ritual, NBC 5, October 7, 2024.

As the group stood together in solidarity, many community members voiced their concerns about U.S. military aid to Israel, urging Congress to reconsider its stance and calling on Vermont communities to stand against apartheid.”

Jewish college students have struggled to find a shared home in the year since the Oct. 7 attacks, USA Today News, October 7, 2024.

“[In JVP] I met all these people I didn’t know who were also Jewish and felt [like I did], and it gave us a space to work together from that perspective.”

Dan Murrieta, JVP-Northwestern 

Jewish UCLA student on supporting Palestine, reexamining his faith, KCRW, October 8, 2024.

“I don’t think that the militarized nation-state that we have now ended up with — and that we’ve seen have really devastating material effects for Palestinians and for that land, and really for many in that region — I understand that essentially as kind of a failed answer to some of these very real questions. So for me, holding anti-Zionist politics, I hope, is about thinking about a world with equality and justice and dignity for everyone.”

Benjamin Kersten, JVP-UCLA

As a Bay Area Jew, I’ve shared the pain and horror with both sides since Oct. 7, San Francisco Chronicle, October 7, 2024.

“Israel must be held accountable for its decades of illegal occupation and war crimes. And since our taxes fund Israel’s military, our government must be held accountable, too. The U.S. must stop arming Israel”

Wynd Kaufman, JVP-Bay Area

Jewish Voice for Peace call for arms embargo on Israel on one-year anniversary of Hamas attack, Maine Public, October 6, 2024.

“In this instance what we want to let go of and cast off is the US support of the Israeli military, which is committing egregious war crimes and genocide. We will gather to cast small stones into the water and demand that the U.S. organize a ceasefire immediately”

Madeleine, JVP-Maine

Detroit Riverfront vigil marks year since October 7th attack, Click on Detroit, October 6, 2024.

“The demonstration to call for an end to war is partly inspired by the High Holiday ritual of Tashlich, an ancient symbolic ceremony which is described as casting away individual and collective sins.” 

Portland Jews’ views differ as Oct 7 anniversary arrives, KOIN 6, October 7, 2024

We can work for Palestinian freedom and against antisemitism, Boston Globe, October 4, 2024.

“For me, “never again” means never again for anyone. I believe that as Jews, we must work for Palestinian freedom and against antisemitism at the same time.”

Susan Etscovitz, JVP-Boston

‘I am part of a community trying to create a Judaism beyond Zionism’, The Guardian, October 7, 2024

“It became clear to me that there was a very vibrant Judaism in the world before the state of Israel, and now I see myself as part of a community of people who are trying to create a Judaism beyond Zionism.”

_{Rabbi Linda Holtzman}

U.S. Jewish Institutions Are Purging Their Staffs of Anti-Zionists, In These Times, October 1, 2024.

“I’m also deeply sad. I am heartbroken that Jewish institutions are firing some of the most brilliant Jewish leaders in our country rather than honestly grappling with the moral crisis of Zionism and standing clearly against the Israeli genocide of Palestinians”

Stefanie Fox, Executive Director, JVP

Uphold ideals | Letter to the Editor, The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 27, 2024.

Indeed, for myself, as a religious and cultural Jew, pursuing justice, repairing the world, and believing that all human life is sacred have always been fundamental Jewish values, and Israel has sadly failed to live up to them. For me, supporting the state of Israel thus contradicts my Jewish values.

Rebecca Alpert, JVP-Philadelphia 

Why is the Jewish Federation defending a country that has killed 1000s of children? | Opinion, Houston Chronicle, October 5, 2024.

“Other Jewish organizations, such as Jewish Voice for Peace and If Not Now support the BDS movement — a nonviolent movement for equality and human rights. If only the Jewish Federation and the religious leaders joined faith communities and other organizations in pledging to support BDS and be apartheid-free.”

Learning Arabic, evergreen, Fall/Winter 2024.

“As a Jewish American, I’d been raised not to think about it much, beyond some vague support for a liberal democracy that was supposed to be a safe haven for my people. Now I’d seen Israeli tank drivers throw sound grenades and tear gas canisters to provoke chaos at unarmed protests” 

Laura Kraftowitz, JVP-Detroit

Bostonians rally, reflect on one year since Oct. 7 attacks, The Daily Free Press, October 8, 2024.

“[JVP is] there because we believe Jewish values say that every life is sacred, and we as a people have experienced genocide. We as a people have experienced racism and racist violence, and that motivates us to stand against it.”

Eli Gerzon, JVP-Boston 

Anti-Zionist Jewish groups hold public ‘Tashlich’ in SF, KALW, October 8, 2024.

At 2 Conflicting SFUSD Trainings, Dueling Ideas of What Antisemitism Means, KQED, October 13, 2024.

With support from their union, a group of teachers organized an alternative workshop to be held at the same time and led by PARCEO, an education justice institute, with support from the anti-Zionist group Jewish Voice for Peace.