It is not easy writing this email so late at night after fasting all day. All week I had two thoughts in mind – write about the potential agreement to end the Hamas-Israel war that would bring home the remaining 48 hostages or write about my favorite holiday, Sukkot. 

I decided to write about both.

First, I hope you had a meaningful fast and reflective Yom Kippur holiday. Sadly, yesterday we woke to the news that two people were killed (one inadvertently shot by police) and four seriously injured at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester, England. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families and the community. Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, said the terrorist “attacked Jews because they are Jews.”

Since the October 7, 2023, a growing number of British Jews say they feel increasingly isolated and unsafe. They are not alone. The Hamas-Israel war only exacerbated the rising levels of antisemitism around the world. But earlier this week, it felt like things could take a major turn. President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu unveiled a comprehensive 20-point peace plan to end the conflict. 

The plan has been formally accepted by Israel and much of the Arab world (Palestinian Authority, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Türkiye). European leaders also welcomed the plan. Key points include:

• An immediate cessation of hostilities.

• Hamas is required to release all Israeli hostages – both living and deceased – within 72 hours of the agreement.

• Gaza would be placed under a transitional technocratic administration, co-chaired by former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and President Trump.

• The Palestinian Authority, if it complies with the reforms outlined in the plan, will eventually take control over Gaza.

• Hamas’ military infrastructure will be dismantled. Members of Hamas who disarm will receive amnesty and safe passage if they choose to leave Gaza. 

• Humanitarian aid restored to levels defined in the January 19, 2025 agreement.

The world is waiting to see how Hamas responds. 

I recognize that next Tuesday will mark two years since the tragedy of October 7. Whether an agreement is reached or not, we remember the horror of that day. We invite you to hear stories of courage and remember the victims at our community’s apolitical commemoration this Sunday evening at 7:00 p.m. at Congregation Neveh Shalom. Registration is required and the deadline is today.

Monday evening is the start of Sukkot, my favorite Jewish holiday. The Torah commands: “You shall dwell in booths for seven days… in order that future generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt” (Leviticus 23). This directs us to both remember and to act. I will build my sukkah, and weather permitting, plan to eat and sleep in it every night. 

What I love most about Sukkot is its mix of fragility and celebration. The sukkah is a temporary structure, yet our gatherings in the sukkah create strong communal bonds. As I have written about previously, Sukkot is the perfect holiday to widen our circle and create more Jewish friendships. Plus, the mystical custom of ushpizin — inviting biblical guests into our sukkah — reminds us that our welcomeness links us to our ancestors and to one another. I call it “holy hospitality.”

Here is a Chasidic story that captures the spirit of Sukkot. A humble man came to his rabbi with a complaint -- he had no sukkah. The rabbi instructed the man to take a simple straw mat, a bit of cloth, and some branches and to build a tiny shelter outside his home. The man did so, and when the first night of Sukkot arrived, he set only a single plate and cup inside. A traveler passing by saw the candlelight and asked if he might rest. The man welcomed him, and soon another passerby stopped, then another. Before dawn, the sukkah overflowed with unexpected guests — laborers, a tired mother, a young student, an old man with stories. The small sukkah, built from scarcity, became a refuge. At morning prayers, the rabbi asked the man, “How did you sleep?” The man answered, “I did not sleep at all — I listened to the world.” The rabbi smiled and said, “Then you had the true sukkah -- you opened your house and your heart, and in doing so you discovered that every guest is a gift.”

Sukkot combines gratitude, joy, vulnerability, and action. The holiday asks us to open our tables, to volunteer, to donate, to learn, and to create space for others to belong. Our Jewish future will be built on being welcoming and caring. I hope you will invite people into your sukkah -- to sit, eat, tell a story, and stay awhile — and know there is always room for one more.

Women’s Philanthropy has a seat for you at its Impact Event on October 22. This special evening is for women to come together for fun, camaraderie, and joy. Lindsay Gottlieb, USC women’s basketball coach, will inspire you with her personal story! Register here!

Do not miss out on our new Jewish Life and Learning program,Root and Branch. Dr. Yosef Rosen has put together learning experiences that meet you where you are while offering tools for deeper growth -- ritual-building workshops, learning circles, family gatherings, intellectual exploration. Find opportunities to help enrich your Jewish journey.

Let me end with a fun fact. Yesterday was the 75^th anniversary of the debut of Charles M. Schulz “Peanuts” comic strip, which brought us Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Woodstock, and more. Over its 50-year run, “Peanuts” reached an estimated 355 million readers in 75 countries (21 different languages). Beyond being a cartoonist, Schulz was an avid ice hockey player and fan. I fondly remember taking my son to the Redwood Empire Ice Arena in Santa Rosa, California for ice hockey tournaments. It was built and owned by Schulz, and often referred to as Snoopy's Home Ice. 

Shabbat shalom and chag Sukkot sameach – may it begin with the simple act of welcoming another to your table -- and see the various community Sukkot happenings here.