Hayim Leiter Journalist Profile

Articles

The truth about my army service

Dec 11, 2024 | israelnationalnews.com | Hayim Leiter

Thursday, November 28, 2024, was an auspicious day in Israel. After 418 days of war, it was the first 24 hours without a single red alert. Not one rocket was fired by any of our enemies. In truth, I didn’t notice it until my wife pointed it out the following morning. It’s amazing — both what we can become accustomed to and how quickly we forget such a reality. But if there’s one feeling I haven’t yet shaken, it’s my sense of guilt.
Any Safe Havens For Jews?

Dec 7, 2024 | jewishpress.com | Hayim Leiter

A Chabad emissary is dead. Rabbi Zvi Kogan was serving in the United Arab Emirates when he was kidnapped and murdered in an alleged terrorist action. This news is tragic. But, unfortunately, this senseless murder is just another example in the long string of antisemitic violence that has been and continues to be perpetrated around the world.
The Blogs: Choose or Lose

Nov 28, 2024 | blogs.timesofisrael.com | Hayim Leiter

A Chabad emissary is dead. Rabbi Zvi Kogan was serving in the United Arab Emirates when he was kidnapped and murdered in an alleged terrorist action. This news is tragic. But, unfortunately, this senseless murder is just another example in the long string of antisemitic violence that has been and continues to be perpetrated around the world.
How did Jews observe Yom Kippur in the shadow of Oct. 7 and war?

Nov 2, 2024 | jpost.com | Hayim Leiter

Encountering a transformative Yom Kippur, and finding meaning in prayer amid war and grief. I am horrible at Yom Kippur praying. I don’t know if I’m stellar the rest of the year, but the fast completely wrecks my focus.
I realized the depth of my Israeli trauma after a rocket exploded while I was circumcising a baby

Oct 30, 2024 | jewishvoicesnj.org | Hayim Leiter

EFRAT, West Bank–For the past year, I’ve worried about what I would do if air-raid sirens sounded while I was performing a brit milah, a ritual circumcision. Would I halt the proceedings and send everyone to the bomb shelters? Or, if the procedure was under way, would I send everyone else to the shelter until it was safe to move the baby? The work demands such focus, I have always feared that I might not even hear the alarms. It took until the first anniversary of Oct. 7 to find out.
Bombs Over Britot

Oct 22, 2024 | jewishpress.com | Hayim Leiter

My work as a mohel takes me all over Israel and beyond. Recently, I had an early morning brit in Tel Aviv. Events like these are challenging because of the big city realities of traffic and parking. These factors made it necessary to daven early and leave right from shul to arrive on time. These factors also made my kavanah not what I wanted it to be. I spent most of the tefillah wondering if I should finish early and head on my way.
Mohel: Why commemorating Oct. 7 was challenging for me | Commentary

Oct 17, 2024 | sun-sentinel.com | Hayim Leiter

For the past year, I’ve worried about what I would do if air-raid sirens sounded while I was performing a brit milah, a ritual circumcision. Would I halt the proceedings and send everyone to the bomb shelters? Or, if the procedure was under way, would I send everyone else to the shelter until it was safe to move the baby? The work demands such focus, I have always feared that I might not even hear the alarms. It took until the first anniversary of Oct. 7 to find out. I felt uneasy the entire day.
I realized depth of my Israeli trauma after rocket exploded while circumcising a baby - opinion

Oct 16, 2024 | jpost.com | Hayim Leiter

My emotional tank is at an all-time low. The day marked a year of persistent stress that isn’t over. We’ve had no distance from the tragedy that we’re all still living through.
Emotions in conflict

Oct 1, 2024 | blogs.timesofisrael.com | Hayim Leiter

I have never cheered the deaths of our enemies. It’s antithetical to who we are as Jews. But suppressing these emotions is getting progressively more challenging. And the recent news of Hassan Nasrallah’s death has been the most difficult yet. Jewish history is replete with the downfall of those who sought our destruction. Most holidays can be boiled down to, “They tried to kill us. We prevailed. Let’s eat.” The quintessential example being Passover.
Israelis must remain united amid the duality of life at war - opinion

Sep 4, 2024 | jpost.com | Hayim Leiter

In Israel, daily life is marked by both extraordinary challenges and small joys, as recent events highlight the persistent threat of violence and the need for national unity.