Editor's Notes: The surge of October 8 Jews and the new wave of Jewish reconnection - comment

Let me tell you about a conversation I had recently with a young Jewish businessman and philanthropist, the second generation of a family known for its involvement in Jewish causes. Despite his family’s strong Jewish roots, he never quite understood what it meant to be an American Jew. “My parents always talked about the importance of being Jewish,” he told me. “Our family foundation was involved in Jewish projects, but it never really touched my everyday life. And Israel? It wasn’t even on my radar.”

That all changed on October 7, 2023. Like so many Jews around the world, he was shaken by the brutal attack on Israel, but for him, the impact was especially personal. “It was like a switch flipped,” he said. “Suddenly, I wasn’t just watching events unfold from afar – I felt connected to them in a way I never had before. I realized how distant I’d been, not just from Israel, but from my own Jewish identity.”

He now calls himself an “October 8th Jew” – someone who, after years of living disconnected from Jewish life, suddenly found himself thrust back into the community. “It’s like I woke up on October 8 and realized I had been living in a bubble. Now, I have to learn how to be Jewish again,” he said, his voice full of a mix of confusion and determination. “I feel like a teenager raised by wolves, who suddenly needs to re-learn how to be human – or in this case, how to be a Jew.”

He’s not alone. Across the Jewish world, particularly in North America, there’s a wave of what they call "the surge" – people who, like him, are rediscovering their Jewish identity in the aftermath of the October 7 attack. These are people who might have felt distant from their Jewish roots, who rarely if ever engaged with Jewish institutions, and for whom Israel was more of an abstract concept than a living reality. But now, something has changed.

“We’re seeing an incredible surge of people coming into Jewish spaces,” Kravetz told me. “Many of them are like your friend – they weren’t really involved before. They didn’t see themselves as connected to the Jewish community in any deep way. But now, something has shifted. We call them 'the surge' and they’re showing up in unprecedented numbers.”

What’s striking, she explained, is that these aren’t just people reacting out of fear or trauma, though that plays a part. “Yes, the attack on Israel was a wake-up call for many,” she said. “But what’s really happening is a rediscovery of Jewish identity. These Jews are not just looking for solidarity with Israel – they’re looking for a deeper connection to their Jewish roots, to the community, and to the traditions they may have lost touch with.”

The data backs this up. JFNA has been conducting national research since October 7, surveying both Jews and non-Jews in North America about their responses to the events. “What we’ve found is that, overwhelmingly, North American Jews still identify strongly with Israel,” Kravetz explained. “Despite the complexities of the war, the vast majority are proud of Israel and support its right to defend itself.

“But there’s more to it than that,” she said. “People are also rediscovering their connection to Judaism itself. And it’s not just the old guard – the people who have always been deeply involved. It’s the people who were on the fringes, or who had never really engaged before.”

Oct. 8 Jews rekindling connections to Judaism is several spaces

These “October 8th Jews” are showing up in all kinds of Jewish spaces, from synagogues and community centers to more informal gatherings. “We’re seeing it across the board,” Kravetz said. “Synagogues are reporting record numbers of new members. Hillel and Chabad on campus are overflowing with students. Volunteering organizations like Repair the World are seeing double the number of participants they had before. People are hungry for connection – not just to Israel, but to each other, to the Jewish community.”

“Young adults are searching for community,” she said. “They’re looking for something meaningful, something that gives them a sense of belonging. The mid-lifers are in a similar place – they’ve reached a point where they don’t have the built-in community that comes with raising kids, and now they’re seeking something more. And parents with young children are realizing that they want to give their kids a stronger connection to their Jewish heritage.”

But there’s a challenge here, too. Many of these October 8th Jews, despite their newfound desire to engage, feel like outsiders in the Jewish community. “They’re showing up to synagogues, to community events, but they don’t always know how to navigate these spaces,” Kravetz said. “They don’t know the people, they don’t know the rituals, and they can feel isolated even in a room full of Jews. We need to do a better job of welcoming them, of making sure they feel included.”

It’s a crucial point. The Jewish community has always prided itself on being a welcoming space, but in reality, many Jewish institutions are built around established norms and traditions that can feel alien to those who haven’t grown up immersed in them. “We need to be conscious of the fact that these Jews are coming from a different place,” she said. “They need to feel that there’s room for them: that they can belong even if they don’t know all the prayers or the customs. It’s about opening the tent wider.”

And it’s not just spiritual engagement that’s on the rise. Kravetz pointed out that people are also seeking out tangible expressions of their Jewish identity. “There’s been a noticeable increase in the purchase of Jewish items – everything from mezuzahs and Shabbat candlesticks to Star of David necklaces,” she said. “It’s a way for people to publicly declare their identity – to say, ‘I am Jewish, and I’m proud of it.’”

As this resurgence unfolds, the upcoming Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly will serve as a critical moment for reflection and action. The event, taking place in Washington, DC, from November 10-12, will feature Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Sheryl Sandberg as keynote speakers. The Assembly, opening with an “Evening of Unity,” will address critical issues such as rising antisemitism, increasing anti-Israel bias, and the growing division and polarization within the community.

“The General Assembly empowers people from across the Jewish community to come together and tackle today’s critical challenges, including securing Israel, our North American communities, and the future of Jewish life,” said Jewish Federations Executive Vice President Shira Hutt. “We couldn’t be more delighted to host President Herzog and Sheryl Sandberg, whose voices and clear-eyed leadership have been essential in these hard times.”

The Assembly will undoubtedly be an opportunity for October 8th Jews – those who are rediscovering their Jewish identity and reconnecting with their heritage – to find their place within the larger community. It’s a moment not only for reflection but for action, as the Jewish world comes together to address its most urgent issues and ensure that all Jews, whether newly engaged or long-time participants, feel welcomed in the broad and diverse tent of Jewish life.The story of the young businessman I spoke with is just one example of this larger trend. He’s on a journey to rediscover his Jewish roots – and he knows he can’t do it alone. And neither can the thousands of other Jews across North America who are finding their way back to the community. The question we must ask ourselves is: Are we ready to welcome them?