'A challenging year': Cincinnati's Jewish community gathers on anniversary of Hamas attack

Danielle Minson will be the first to speak Monday night at a memorial service for those killed last Oct. 7 when Hamas launched the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust.

Her job is to welcome attendees to a program that's intended to help Cincinnati's Jewish community "process our feelings from the past year."

It will not be an easy task.

Minson, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, will deliver her remarks not only on the anniversary of one of the darkest days in recent Jewish history, but also in the middle of the Jewish High Holy Days , which are among the most important on the Jewish calendar.

The attack Hamas launched from Gaza killed more than 1,200 Israeli men, women and children, and claimed at least 250 hostages, about 100 of which are still captive in Gaza. The Israeli response , culminating in bombing raids and a land invasion of Gaza, has killed more than 40,000 men, women and children, according to Palestinian health officials.

One year in, the conflict still rages. Israel recently attacked the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon after it fired missiles into Israel. And Iran, which supports Hamas and Hezbollah, fired hundreds of its missiles into Israel last week, raising fears of a wider war.

"It's been a very challenging year," Minson said.

So when she speaks Monday during these High Holy Days, which are considered a time for reflection, renewal and hope, what will Minson say about living in a world that has changed so much since last Oct. 7?

She agreed to talk to The Enquirer about her message, the challenges of the past year and her hope for the year ahead. The interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity:

Does the ongoing war and the debate over it make it harder to talk about what happened on Oct. 7? Is the event that started this being overshadowed by what followed?

"It certainly doesn't diminish what happened on Oct. 7. Had this not happened on Oct. 7, none of this would've happened. It's just hard. It's hard because every day you're running through all these emotions. You see, every day, everything that's going on. It's emotional. It's heavy for a lot of people. The ups and downs, the ebbs and flows. You wake up and see what's on the news, or your apps pop up with different messages, and it's like, "Oh, no."

How difficult is it to watch the conflict unfold from afar?

"Many of us have family and friends in Israel. It's really hard when you see and hear what's going on. We're able to take a break from that. They're in bomb shelters. And there's part of you that feels a little guilty about that. Everybody wants this to end. I hope it's soon."

How much discussion and debate is there in the Jewish community about the war and how Israel has responded to Oct. 7?

"We condemn the loss of all life. We're absolutely having these conversations. We are People of the Book. We like to have discourse. We like to disagree. We like to debate. That's healthy. So, yeah, that's absolutely going on."

Have you found that criticism of Israel's prosecution of the war sometimes veers into antisemitism?

"The nuance in that is really challenging, and it's what we're struggling with. What are fair statements to hold a mirror up against all sides in the war, and what is antisemitic? It's a tough line. I struggle with it."

But antisemitism is on the rise. The Anti-Defamation League reported 8,873 antisemitic incidents in the United States last year, up from 912 a decade ago.

"It's been very dramatic, the spike in antisemitism since Oct. 7. In the beginning, in the months following, it was almost on a daily basis. There are subtle things you see and feel, and there are more overt things. What has been most upsetting to me is the casual nature in which people are saying hateful things. It's almost as if it has become acceptable. And that's been the most startling for me. Parents have called us because their kid was called out by a teacher, or some children were saying some antisemitic slurs. We're hearing about the stuff going on on college campuses and anti-Israel groups popping up. It's visible everywhere."

Is that especially challenging for young people, who maybe haven't experienced antisemitism the way their parents or grandparents did?

"For my parents' generation, there was certainly overt antisemitism. For younger generations, Judaism was one of multiple identities. We've made it. We've assimilated. This is the first time, I think, in younger people's lives that they've experienced antisemitism. They hadn't seen it, and now they do."

Given the challenges of the past year and the challenges ahead, what will you say when you speak at the memorial service Monday?

"I am a positive person. I'm never going to end with hopelessness. I'm always going to end with strength and hope and resiliency. We as a people are about overcoming adversity and moving forward. My message is always going to be about the power of being together. It's going to be about moving forward."

The memorial program "October 7: Marking One Year" is scheduled to run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday. Registration is required and the location is not being made public for security reasons. Those interested in attending can go to this link or register through the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati at www.jewishcincinnati.org .