- Michael Balaban
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia President and CEO

This update is shared as a special Tisha B’Av reflection — a moment to connect the grief of our history with the pain and complexity of this present moment.

This Saturday evening marks the beginning of Tisha B’Av, the most solemn day in the Jewish calendar. Traditionally, we observe it in mourning for the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem and the many tragedies that have shaped Jewish history.

But this year, grief is not something we look back on. It is something we are living.

The trauma of Oct. 7 continues to ripple through our society. Families still wait in anguish for hostages to come home. Soldiers face danger every day. And as the conflict persists, we are faced with the broader human cost of war — images and stories that reveal deep suffering, widespread displacement and the heartbreaking toll on civilians and hostages in Gaza.

In the past week, global aid organizations and world leaders have raised alarms over deepening food insecurity. In response, Israel has taken steps to expand humanitarian efforts — even amid the complexities of an active war zone:

• Connecting a new water line from Egypt to serve 600,000 Gazans
• Reopening Egyptian and Jordanian aid corridors
• Increasing fuel deliveries in coordination with the United Nations
• Organizing aid airdrops with the United Arab Emirates and Jordan
• Enabling more than 200 trucks and nearly 100 million meals to reach Gaza via the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation
• Creating designated distribution times to ensure women’s access to food and supplies

These efforts are taking place under extraordinarily difficult conditions — but the humanitarian crisis remains. Aid access continues to be a major challenge, with Hamas obstructing, looting and weaponizing humanitarian relief — prolonging suffering and once again, rejecting a ceasefire.

In a notable shift, all 22 Arab League nations have condemned Hamas, called for its disarmament and endorsed a transfer of power to the Palestinian Authority — a strong regional signal rejecting terrorism, extremism and seeking a different path forward.

Many of us are asking hard, honest questions. And yet, our tradition teaches us to embrace complexity, not retreat from it.

We continue to support the people of Israel in their efforts to eliminate the threat posed by Hamas and bring the hostages home. At the same time, we recognize that this war exacts a terrible price in human lives — hostages, soldiers, Israeli civilians and Palestinian civilians alike.

As Dani Dayan, chairman of Yad Vashem, reminded us: “Seeing the humanity of others, even in war, is not a sign of weakness but a testament to our strength.”

Tisha B’Av teaches us that Jewish memory is layered. It holds sorrow and resilience together. It remembers catastrophe while urging us to build. It acknowledges external threats — and calls us to reflect inwardly, with humility and purpose.

This day is not only about what has happened to us. It is about how we respond — to one another, to our values and to the world around us.

In this moment, I believe we are called to do three things:

• Stand firm in support of Israel’s security and the safe return of every hostage
• Affirm the sanctity of every innocent life, while holding Hamas accountable for the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians
• Lead with moral clarity, empathy and resolve — even when the answers are not simple

May this Tisha B’Av offer us space to grieve, to reflect, to move forward together with strength and compassion — and the courage to hold many truths at once.

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