By Lior Zisser-Yogev
People navigate loss in different and unique ways. One year after the tragic events of October 7th, my older brother, Ido, found himself searching for meaning. In the year since we lost our youngest brother, Ilay, Ido moved through the depths of grief and crisis, ultimately making a definitive choice: He chose to live.
Ido wanted to remember Ilay not through sorrow and pain, but through the values and positivity which are Ilay’s legacy. He gathered the things Ilay loved most; trail running, nature hikes, the ritual of black coffee after a workout, and quality time with friends and family—and transformed them into “Running with Zisser,” a communal running initiative in Ilay’s memory. Leading dozens of events and programs for youth and adults across Israel and the U.S. has given Ido a renewed sense of purpose. It is his way of choosing life over the weight of sorrow.
To mark the anniversary of Ilay’s death, Ido reached out to Koolulam, the renowned Israeli musical social initiative. He wasn’t looking for a performance; he was looking for hope. What began as a modest gathering for family grew into a massive event. Many Israelis, amongst them were bereaved families, wounded veterans, and families of hostages, came together to sing Naomi Shemer’s timeless song, “MiBereshit” (From the Beginning).
The voices of 2,000 participants rose in harmony, declaring:
To rise tomorrow morning with a new song in our hearts,
To sing it with strength, to sing it through the pain,
To hear flutes in the free wind,
And to start again from the beginning.
The Strength to Rise
Choosing to “rise tomorrow morning” is never simple; sometimes, it feels impossible. Over the last two and a half years, maintaining a normal routine has become an act of defiance. Our families in Israel live under the constant shadow of missiles and drones, functioning through sleepless nights and endless news of loss. With tens of thousands called to reserve duty, families are stretched thin, and the end is not yet in sight.
Even here in Michigan, we have felt the chill of terror following the horrific attack on Temple Israel. While we are eternally grateful to our security teams and professional Temple staff that no lives were lost, the fear remains. I often wonder how one continues after such trauma. I look at Israeli society with pure admiration—how they navigate uncertainty and constant tension with such grace.
I realized that the resilience I admired in others was something I had already lived through. I remember how when living in Israel I would flinch from every loud noise or passing motorcycle—which sounds like a siren. We went through putting our daughters to sleep in the safe room so they wouldn’t have to be woken up in the middle of the night. I remember my daughter standing still in the street when a siren went off, unsure if she should run for cover or stand in silence—because in school she was taught to stand in the Tzfira for Memorial Day.
I see that same resilience today in our own Jewish community here in Michigan. Following the horrific hate crime our community faced, and successfully prevented, we are not afraid to unite. We speak with a loud, confident voice: our Jewish communal life is not defenseless. We will protect ourselves, and we will continue to be proud and courageous in our Judaism and our Zionism.
We live these “crazy lives” because we have no other choice. It brings out strengths we sometimes forget we have in us—a fundamental Jewish trait to look disaster in the eye and still choose to overcome and focus our energy on a better future.
Commemorate and Celebrate
This year, our community’s Israel national holidays, The Yoms, will focus on these themes.
Yom HaZikaron: Israel’s Memorial Day: ובחרת בחיים – The Strength to Rise: This April 20th, the eve of Yom HaZikaron, we will come together to honor the fallen soldiers, and the victims of terror. We will hear and learn from inspiring Israelis how they chose to build their lives and find positivity even after the most painful losses.
Yom HaAtzmaut: Israel’s Independence Day Community Celebration: Two weeks later, on May 4th, we will celebrate Israel and our Jewish pride. Though this event was originally meant to be at Temple Israel, we are moving forward with strength. We are literally choosing to “rise tomorrow with a new song” as Koolulam comes to the Detroit Jewish community. It will be an evening of unity, power, and, above all—hope.
We invite you to mark these days with us. Let us acknowledge the pain, celebrate the resilience and fill our hearts with hope for the future of Israel and the Jewish people.
Learn more and register for Yom HaZikaron at Jewishdetroit.org/YHZ.
Learn more and register for Yom Ha’Atzmaut at Jewishdetroit.org/YHA.
