Presented by Dr. Rachel Korazim, Israeli Scholar and Educator

The calamity of October 7 and the war that followed had left Israel and the Jewish world in shock and despair. The unimaginable became our reality. As more details of the horror unfold, as we are facing the painful daily losses in battle and the plight of the hostages and their families. Not less troubling, are the terrible losses and devastation in Gaza. We find ourselves less and less able to talk about it. The expression most commonly used is ein milim — No Words!

Yet – some struggle and do find words to express pain and anger, despair and abandonment.

In our session, we will read and discuss poetry written these very days. The poems are often raw and painful, while at the same time full of love and even hope. Some are in the form of prayers such as a new ÒKadish’, and many reference biblical motifs, such as the Akeida or Joseph. Others address the new Òcorrect’ language since one cannot say any more simple thin