As Jews around the world began our observance of the High Holy Days last month, the most sacred time of the year, we were once again reminded that Jewish life, though flourishing and resilient, exists under constant threat. On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, Hamas released a video of Alon Ohel, one of the 48 hostages still held in captivity. According to his parents, who watched the horrific footage, Alon was frail, frightened, and had lost sight in his right eye.

This video, and the many others like it, capture the terror endured every day since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on a music festival that killed and injured thousands, shattered families, traumatized communities, and left the world reeling. The horror was immediate, visceral, and devastating — and its echoes are still felt two years later.