This year’s High Holy Days of Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Sukkot will not be like other ones.

With Israel still at war, the hostages still in Gaza, and the awful one-year memorial for October 7 just over a week away, the mood is more somber than usual.

But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate. The holiday season is about reflection and renewal. It’s also about family and friends, and the opportunity to be together, which is what we all need at this time. 

There are many ways to support Israel during these tough times, through volunteering, or just by buying blue and white.

For the holidays this year, we put together two stories – a gift ideas list of Israeli products – and a list of the wineries most impacted by the war.

Through the month of October, the Friday Read newsletter will take a short hiatus for the holidays, and then we will be back in November.

In the meantime, we would like to wish you all a happy new year, a meaningful holiday season, and most of all, peace.