by Rabba Liron Levy Rosensaft
Spiritual Leader of Neve Hanna
The events of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war have deeply affected all of Israel, but perhaps nowhere more profoundly than in the communities near the Gaza border. Here at Neve Hanna Children’s Home in Kiryat Gat, we have experienced first-hand the challenges, fears, and ultimately, the incredible resilience born of faith during these trying times.
When the sirens blared on that fateful Simchat Torah morning, our world was turned upside down. The children, many of whom have already faced significant trauma in their young lives, were suddenly confronted with a new, terrifying reality. As their rabbi and spiritual guide, I found myself grappling with difficult questions: How do we maintain faith in the face of such brutality? How do we explain to our children that the God we teach them about allows such suffering?
Finding Strength in Unity and Tradition
In the immediate aftermath, as we huddled in our bomb shelters, I was struck by the instinctive response of our children. Without prompting, they began to recite psalms, sing and pray for protection. Their faith, pure and unwavering, became a source of strength for all of us. As the days past, we established a new quality time centered around our Jewish traditions. We increased our prayer services, adapting them to be shorter but more frequent, allowing the children to find comfort in the familiar rhythms of our liturgy. The act of coming together, even in our shelters, to pray and study Torah, provided a sense of normalcy and community that proved invaluable. What has amazed me most during this crisis is the depth of faith displayed by our children. Despite the constant threat of rockets and the knowledge of the atrocities that occurred on October 7, they maintain an unshakable belief that God is protecting us. One of our teenagers, Arel, expressed it beautifully: “Rabbi, I know God is with us. Even when we’re scared, I can feel Him keeping us safe.” Many of our children, who often remind me that our current trials are part of a larger divine plan that we may not understand but must trust, echo this sentiment.
Acts of Kindness as Expressions of Faith
Our children’s faith extends beyond words into action. The youth council have taken it upon themselves to write letters of encouragement to soldiers, Panas Rechov (the Streetlight Chesed group) every week creates care packages for displaced families, we are proud to say that before Passover, 120 packages were sent from our home to needy families. When I asked Doron, one of our youngest, why she was so dedicated to these projects, she replied, “If God is protecting us, we should help protect others. That’s how we say thank you.”
This perspective —that engaging in acts of kindness is a form of partnership with God — has become a guiding principle for our community during these difficult times.
Challenges and Growth
Of course, maintaining faith during war is not without its challenges. We’ve had moments of doubt, fear, and anger. Some of our older children have asked hard questions about why innocent people suffer. As a rabbi, I’ve had to dig deep into our traditions and my own rabbi beliefs to provide answers that acknowledge the complexity of our situation while affirming the fundamental goodness of God. These conversations have led to profound discussions about free will, the nature of evil, and our role in bringing light to the world. In many ways, this crisis has accelerated the spiritual growth of our community, pushing us to engage with our faith on a deeper level than ever before.
Looking to the Future with Hope
As we continue to navigate this uncertain period, I am consistently inspired by the resilience and faith of our Neve Hanna family. The children’s unwavering belief that God will see us through this crisis and bring peace to our land is a powerful testament to the strength of the human spirit and the enduring nature of faith. Their perspective reminds us all that even in our darkest moments, we are not alone. As we pray for the safety of our soldiers, the return of the hostages, and the swift arrival of peace, we do so with the pure faith of children — a faith that sees beyond current hardships to a brighter future.
In these challenging times, the children of Neve Hanna have become not just recipients of care and guidance, but teachers in their own right, showing us all the power of faith, hope, and love in the face of adversity.
May their example inspire us all, and may we soon see the fulfillment of the prophet’s vision: “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4).
“Faith Amidst Crisis: Reflections from Neve Hanna During the 2023 October War” can be found in the AFNH Rosh Hashanah 2024 Newsletter