A Hanukkah Beacon of Hope

It’s not easy being a Jew these days. As our forbears used to say: “Schver tzu zayn a yid.” An excruciating war, the anguish of the hostages and their families, anti-Jewish hate crimes, antisemitism sweeping social media. The election of the proudly anti-Israel mamdani as mayor of New York City. And than, at the start of Hanukkah, the horrifying terror attack in Sydney. It would be understandable to feel a sense of despair, even hopelessness, and to ask, as the prophet Isaiah did thousands of years ago, “Ad matai, Hashem?” How long will our unbearable situation continue? But more importantly, I began to fear for the younger generation. How would they cope with the notable challenges they face as Jews in today’s world?

Then, on Monday night, just as the lights of Hanukkah were growing dim, I was invited to an Ishay Ribo concert for women at the United Palace Theater in Manhattan, featuring words of inspiration from Sivan Rahav Meir.The show was a fundraiser for the organization Efrat, and the theater was packed – including the balcony upstairs – with women of all ages. But if you glanced around the hall, you could see that it was mostly filled with Orthodox teenage girls.

Picture a pop/rock concert for young Jewish Orthodox women hailing from the main girls’ high schools of New York and New jersey, as well as Stern college, along with a high-spirited group of girls visiting from Mexico (if you think Americans are loud, you haven’t spent time with our sisters south of the border). like every pop concert worth its salt, the music was deafening, the lights bright and glaring, and the atmosphere electrifying.

Although Ishay Ribo was billed as the show’s main attraction, the concert opened with superstar singer Bracha Jaffe, who appeared on stage dressed in a sparkling silver gown. She reminded me of an Orthodox Jewish version of Taylor Swift (albeit in much more modest attire).The overriding themes of her songs are faith in God and