DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
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DECEMBER 14 • 2023 | 7
J
N

unity and volunteerism is 
shining brightly.
This year, I am celebrat-
ing the miracle of solidarity. 
Grassroots efforts have 
popped up overnight like 
nothing Israel has ever 
seen. Meals have been dis-
tributed, people have been 
welcomed into homes, and 
thousands of reservists, 
130% of those called up, 
have reported for duty. 
The amount of dona-
tions: food, clothing, toys, 
rides, visits, hugs, army 
supplies, medications and 
more that have been offered 
to those in need has been 
astounding. Our collective 
resolve in the face of the 
horrors is nothing short of 
miraculous, and a reminder 
of what we are capable of 
when we band together.
And I am celebrating the 
miracle of heroism. In the 
face of the Oct. 7 horrors, 
so many heroes have risen 
to defend our brethren. 
I carry with me the 
memory of Ohr Torah 
Stone alumnus Elhanan 
Kalmanson z”l, who drove 
with his brother and neph-
ew to Be’eri on the morning 
of Oct. 7 on their own and 
managed to rescued dozens 
of victims. 
I am thinking of Aner 
Elyakim Shapiro z”l, who 
protected a packed public 
bomb shelter by throwing 
the hand grenades that 
terrorists had tossed inside 
back out and finally falling 
on the last one to absorb 
the impact to protect oth-
ers. And, at the same time, 
those continuing to cele-
brate life, including Aner’s 
sister who got engaged just 
last week, have exhibited 
tremendous courage to 
push on despite the pain 

and the grief. 
This Chanukah, I bask 
in the light of the heroism 
of our soldiers — includ-
ing countless members 
of the OTS family. The 
courage of their families 
and of all those maintain-
ing the homefront is as 
much a Divine gift as the 
Maccabean initiative.
And I am celebrating this 
state, and what it means to 
live in the Jewish home-
land in the 21st century. 
Even in the wake of the 
largest pogrom since the 
Holocaust, we cannot lose 
sight of our good fortune. 
Never again can we be 
decimated, for we have a 
land of our own and the 
resolve needed to defend 
it. To witness the return of 
the Jewish people to our 
sacred homeland is a living 
miracle, and it is the anchor 
of our confidence in these 
uncertain times.
Bayamim hahem uvizman 
hazeh, in those days and at 
this time. In the midst of 
the grief and the fear, there 
are miracles all around us, 
just as there were long ago. 
Like the Maccabees, we face 
a challenging threat, but we 
are resolutely committed 
to our cause. As we move 
forward, our challenge is to 
not lose sight of these mira-
cles, to be inspired by them, 
empowered to persevere 
until the darkness of this 
moment is overtaken by a 
great, shining light.
No matter what comes, 
we can face it together. 

Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander is 

president and Rosh HaYeshiva of Ohr 

Torah Stone, an Israel-based network 

of 30 educational and social action 

programs transforming Jewish life, 

living and leadership in Israel and 

across the world. 

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