Embracing Hope: Lessons from the Past and Prayers for the Future

We find ourselves in a very emotional time.  The start of our week began with the return of 3 female hostages that were in captivity for 471 days. They returned alive; which brought tears of joy to Jews all over the world. We can only hope that the remainder of the hostages are also alive, and will be returned.

What is hope?  The definition reads as follows: “a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen”.

Hope has been a key player in the events that have unfolded since October 7th, 2023.

Hope for the safety of the hostages. Hope for the return of the hostages.

Hope for the strength of the families who lost their loved ones. Hope for the safety of soldiers of the IDF. Hope for Israeli citizens to feel safe in the Jewish Homeland.

Hope for the war to end.  Hope for an end to antisemitism. And the list of hopes can go on and on.

Long before October 7, 2023, there have been many other occasions which brought turmoil to the Jewish people, and hope was at the forefront. The Holocaust being the most destructive in our history.

Next week, on January 27, 2025 is Holocaust Remembrance Day. Acknowledging the Milestone 80 years since the end of the Second World War and the Holocaust, the theme for 2025 is “Holocaust remembrance and education for dignity and human rights”. 

We encourage you to check out the display “Here to Tell, Faces of Holocaust Survivors” at the Alberta Art Gallery. The exhibit will be displayed until Feb. 9th. This exhibit shows images of Holocaust survivors and their stories that followed; we can see in this exhibit a lot of hope. The survivors whose stories are portrayed in this exhibit started new lives after the holocaust; survived and then thrived. It is a very moving exhibit.

There is always so much to learn from the past. The Holocaust was horrific.  To have survived that unspeakable time in itself is inspiring. Reading the stories of survivors can give shreds of hope. Hope in relation to our current situation.

Hope that the remaining hostages are alive, will be returned, and will thrive.

Hope that the end of this war will bring better living conditions to the residents of Israel and Gaza, and Jews worldwide.

Hope for Peace in the Middle East.

Hope that this will NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.

And the list goes on.

One important aspect to lessons from the past is education. We must teach our children mistakes from the past, and how to learn from them. In Alberta, Holocaust Education is part of the school curriculum. With this education, we can Hope that children learn complex moral and ethical problems from the past, and gain valuable insights regarding tolerance for diversity and human rights. We hope that children will learn some moral lessons.

Many children in the Edmonton area will be visiting the Alberta Art Gallery “Here to Tell” exhibit as part of their Holocaust Education this year. We certainly hope that it will be an impactful experience, and that future generations will be respectful of all humankind.

Never give up hope!

Shabbat Shalom!

Rebecca Asbell and Benaron Gleiberman

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