This Jewish Moment

On October 7, 2023, some 6,000 Gazans--Hamas terrorists and ordinary civilians--crossed into Israel, murdering and raping 1,200 people and kidnapping 250 more. This modern pogrom constituted the largest single-day loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust. For Israel it was a brutal wake up call. For the Jewish diaspora, it unleashed a different trauma: a tsunami of antisemitism--violence, harassment, vandalism, boycotts, cancellations, and social and professional targeting--that rapidly altered the mood, confidence, and behaviour of Jews across the West. Communities that had long felt secure suddenly faced a stark new reality of rising vulnerability.

This Jewish Moment captures this turning point through the voices of more than 100 Jews in the United States and Canada, exploring how October 7 reshaped relationships, spiritual life, political views, trust in institutions, and feelings about safety and belonging. The book records a profound shift in thinking at a critical historical moment, as many now grapple with the existential question of whether Jewish life in the diaspora remains viable.