Last Monday, I spent the day with families in Sderot whose lives were torn apart by the unspeakable violence brought upon them on October 7, 2023.

A year later, after all the tears, the sharp pain, and the sadness that has seeped into us for a year now, we can take a deep breath again.

As a people, as a nation, as a society, as families, as individuals? How will we perceive ourselves, and how will we reshape who we are? These questions will be answered by our actions.

The families Genesis Friends for Life Foundation are supporting have experienced a deep, painful, and shattering change.

A shift in consciousness reflected not only in the emotional pain caused by the loss of a loved one but also in their sense of security and safety in the country and in those responsible for the security of Israel’s citizens.

I have no pretension or intention to make a political statement here, but rather to reflect a mental, psychological, emotional, and conscious state that demands of us, as a society, deep introspection, but more importantly, vigorous and meaningful corrective actions.

On the one hand, a reckoning of our ability to endure such intense pain and suffering, and on the other hand, a plan rooted in acts of kindness stemming from the desire to instill hope in those affected by the events of October 7.

A year after this terrible trauma, those who are able must shift to a discourse of hope, a discourse of renewal, a pedagogy of hope, a conversation that instills security and provides a clear and safe future for those who need it. On October 7, I visited the Magira family in Sderot, who lost the father of the family, Avi Magera, of blessed memory.

I shared with Avi’s son, Shaked (may he live long and happy years), about the loss of my brother, Roni Mizrahi, of blessed memory, who was killed in the First Lebanon War.

Shaked asked me, “So how do you cope with such a loss for so many years?” It was a question that surprised me but did not deter me from responding frankly: There is never truly a complete erasure or total overcoming of the pain of losing a beloved and cherished person. Never.

You learn to live alongside the pain, with the longing and deep sorrow. Over time, you learn to grow stronger. You learn that acts of kindness, supporting others, and doing for those in sorrow give you immense strength to cope with your own grief.

Genesis Friends for Life Israel has made it its mission to instill hope in the hearts of orphans, widows, and widowers. In every area of action, whether psychological, educational, or leadership-based, we seek to point to a moment in the future that is better, more determined, and more resilient.

This does not mean in any way to deny, obscure, or heaven forbid diminish or belittle the pain and sorrow. On the contrary, despite the pain and sorrow, we try to lift our heads and look forward.

An optimistic stance can somewhat ease the grief of these families and offer them a sensitive yet determined path to moving forward toward better future goals.

The concept of kindness, based on the idea that giving from your own light enhances the light in the world and does not diminish your own, is a Jewish Hasidic belief that has long served as the glue uniting Jewish communities across the world.

 “One who kindles a light from another, it shines, and the original is not diminished” (Bamidbar Rabbah, Parasha 13). I sincerely hope that we will succeed in kindling a light of hope in the hearts of the families who have been grappling with the immense sorrow and pain of October 7 for a year now and will forever struggle to process their deep losses. Please join us in supporting these families – the widows, the children, the loved ones who remain.

Dr. Lior Aviman

CEO of Genesis Israel