Michael Balaban's Update on the War in Israel

- Michael Balaban
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia President and CEO

This week, we moved through one of the most profound transitions in the Jewish calendar — from Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, to Yom Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day.

Yom Hazikaron is a solemn day dedicated to honoring those lost to acts of terror and war — lives cut short in the enduring struggle for peace and security. Across Israel, sirens sound, daily life halts, and people stand together in silence — a shared ritual of remembrance that echoes across generations. Shops close, the media adopts a mournful tone, and the entire nation mourns, remembers, and honors.

This year, we marked Yom Hazikaron — 571 days since the Oct. 7 attacks. The pain remains raw. Families are still shattered. 59 hostages remain in captivity. And the conflict continues. We mourn with broken hearts. We pray with unshaken hope. And we refuse to look away. In grief and resilience, we reaffirm our unbreakable connection to the people of Israel — standing together, seeking justice, and holding fast to the promise of tomorrow.

We also recognize that mourning and solidarity can coexist with questioning — that love for a people and a place does not preclude critical reflection. In the face of profound loss and ongoing violence, many are wrestling with difficult, necessary questions about the path forward. We honor those who carry this tension — who grieve deeply, hope fiercely, and still ask hard questions about justice, security, and peace.

Then, as night fell, we transitioned to Yom Ha'atzmaut — Israel’s Independence Day — a celebration of survival, resilience, and renewal. This year marked 77 years since the founding of the State of Israel. Across Israel and Jewish communities worldwide, we rejoiced in what has been built — not without hardship, but with vision, courage, and the unwavering spirit of generations.

But this year feels different.

Many are afraid to celebrate. Some worry that joy feels misplaced amid ongoing grief. Others fear for their safety — even in Jewish spaces. These fears are real, reflecting the vulnerability and uncertainty we carry today.

And as Israel marked Yom Ha'atzmaut, fires raged across the hills of Jerusalem — which appear to have been set by arsonists encouraged by calls from Hamas to set them. The fires forced evacuations and cast a dark shadow over a day meant for light. They were a stark and sobering reminder: even in moments of celebration, Israelis remain under threat. The flames became both literal and symbolic — disrupting joy and highlighting the fragility of peace.

And yet, the spirit of Yom Ha'atzmaut compels us to affirm life — to celebrate not out of forgetting, but out of defiance. To say, clearly and proudly: We are still here. We will endure. We will rejoice. The legacy of those we mourn lives on not only in our memory, but in our commitment to build, believe, and strengthen our communities.

The weight of these challenges extends far beyond Israel’s borders.

Here in Greater Philadelphia, the ripple effects of this global conflict are still being felt on our college campuses and in our K-12 schools. There are glimmers of success with several institutions hearing our calls to action from our Center to Combat Antisemitism and taking steps forward. On April 30, Swarthmore College addressed concerns on campus, responding to an encampment through the suspension of students. Meanwhile, Haverford College has been called to appear in front of members of Congress on May 7 to address campus climate, antisemitism and student safety — a critical conversation in this moment of heightened tension and concern. Their administration has called on us, along with many area University and College Presidents to assist with meaningful recommendations to aid in reforming how they work to ensure their institutions are places where Jewish students can thrive and be safe 

Meanwhile, in the media, we were deeply disappointed by a recent Philadelphia Inquirer article questioning the Anti-Defamation League’s 2024 audit of antisemitic incidents in Pennsylvania — which documented the highest number of incidents in state history. The piece challenged the ADL’s methodology and cast doubt on whether anti-Israel rhetoric should be considered antisemitic. This framing minimizes the real and rising threats Jewish individuals and institutions face and risks invalidating Jewish voices and lived experience.

We once again call on media, educators, and civic leaders to adopt and uphold the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism — a vital framework that helps distinguish between legitimate political expression and hate speech. 

As we advocate for clarity and accountability in the present, we also draw strength from the past to shape a more just future.

That spirit of remembrance and resilience came to life last month, when 30 community members from Greater Philadelphia joined the March of the Living — a powerful international journey from Auschwitz to Birkenau on Yom HaShoah. Our mission continued to Israel, visiting our Partnership2Gether regions of Sdot Negev and Netivot along the Gaza border. You can read more about this meaningful journey in next week's Jewish Exponent. 

Locally, hundreds gathered for Yom HaShoah and the 61st Annual Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony — a moving and deeply personal program hosted in partnership with the Yizkor Committee and a broad coalition of community organizations. This year’s theme, “Standing Together from Generation to Generation,” underscored our collective responsibility to carry Holocaust memory forward through both remembrance and action. The program drew poignant connections between past and present, with speakers reflecting not only on the atrocities of the Holocaust, but also on the trauma of Oct. 7 and the ongoing suffering of hostages. Through music, personal testimony, and interfaith solidarity, the community stood united — bearing witness, honoring memory, and renewing our commitment to truth, justice, and resilience across generations.

These experiences embody the duality of Jewish life — to carry sorrow and affirm hope.

We mourn — and we celebrate.

We grieve — and we give thanks.

We remember — and we rise.

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