I Took My Yellow Ribbon Down. What Now?

Finally, the yellow ribbons, displayed with such heavy hearts, have been removed from shules, schools, institutions, websites and jacket lapels around the world.

The grief remains immeasurable, but the chapter of unbearable uncertainty has come to a close.

A 25 year old IDF commanding officer recently suffered a direct hit to his tank. He lost sight in one eye, much of his hearing, and the use of his right hand. Needless to say, he was offered an honourable discharge. He refused. Not until he completes his mission of bringing every last hostage home. Back in uniform, he stood and prayed Shehecheyanu as the body of Ran Gvili was returned home.

That this moment fell on International Holocaust Remembrance Day gives it profound meaning. Both are filled with mixed emotions: sorrow and relief, memory and closure. Both ask us not only to mourn the past, but to take responsibility for the present. To protect Jewish life everywhere and to ensure that “never again” is a lived commitment.

This week also marked the conclusion of shloshim for the last victims of the Bondi terror attack who were laid to rest.
And last night, our community gathered in shul for the shloshim of our beloved Stanley Roth. May his memory be a blessing.

These milestones in mourning do not erase grief. They simply change its shape. They gently remind us that life continues to move forward. But how do we move forward? What does “moving forward” even look like?

This Shabbos is known as Shabbat Shira, the Shabbat of Song, because the Torah portion, Beshalach, includes the Song of the Sea. When the Jewish people found themselves trapped between Pharaoh’s army behind them and the vast sea before them, Moses began to pray. Why are you crying out to Me? G-d responds. My people have already prayed, and I have heard their prayers. Go and tell them to march forward. The sea will not be a barrier. It will split because of the merit of the Patriarchs, and because of the faith of the people who trusted you and had the courage to leave Egypt. Tell the people to move forward.

Faith alone is not always enough. Prayers without the courage to act do not always change reality. But courage, paired with complete trust in Hashem to keep moving forward, allows miracles to unfold.

As I removed the yellow ribbon from our Central foyer, I thought of the countless shules around the world, who like ours, displayed the faces of every hostage. I thought of our brave IDF soldiers who fought to bring them home. Of reservist families who made unbearable sacrifices. Of Jewish communities who flooded the streets and refused to back down. I thought of the intelligence agencies and the ZAKA volunteers who entered the depths of Gaza, examining countless bodies under impossible conditions in order to perform ‘chesed shel emet’, the truest act of kindness.

For their sake, and for all of Am Yisroel, now is our time to move forward not with words alone, but with action. We honour all the memories, by standing strong in our Jewish identity, with pride, unity, and a renewed commitment to performing mitzvot in whatever way we can.
And yes, we continue to pray, so that we may find the courage to keep moving forward, with strength and hope, and the resolve to translate faith into action.

Tomorrow evening will be the first Shabbos in over 843 days that there are no longer hostages held in Gaza.
Please join us for a very special musical Shabbat Shira in their honour. We will gather at 5:30pm for a L’chaim, followed by the service at 6:00pm.

Shabbat Shalom.