For many of us, 2024 stands unmatched as a year of pain, turmoil, and division—within our Jewish community and in the world at large. We endured the most brutal attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust and profound suffering in its aftermath in Israel and Gaza. There’s been rising antisemitism on the left and right, a divisive election season, and the escalating disasters of the climate crisis. Over and over, we were reminded of our vulnerability and fragility. At times it was hard to breathe.
IJS was built for this moment—and we enabled our community to exhale.
On retreats, programs, and during our free online daily sits, our faculty provided wisdom, inspiration, and a deep well of comfort. We held space for our community to grieve the trauma of October 7th and launched a new initiative for a trauma-informed, mindfulness-based approach to confronting antisemitism. We expanded our outreach to young adults, welcoming hundreds to meditate, go on retreat, and study Torah together. And we trained 120 Jewish leaders to bring mindfulness practices to their communities—broadening our impact to every corner of the Jewish world.
To the thousands of people who came together with IJS in community in 2024, thank you for making IJS, our teachings, and our practices part of your life. And to our generous donors, thank you for making everything we do possible.
Together, we’ll hasten the arrival of the peace we all dream of — both within ourselves and in our world.