Love in the Shadow of War

"Just as he revived a language, we have revived the language of love — together.”

Oct 10, 2025

This week marked the 2nd anniversary of October 7th. I hope you spent it doing something meaningful, whether by reading (I’m currently reading Amir Tibon’s The Gates of Gaza), watching one of the many new shows or films available to stream to commemorate the day, mourning, or praying.

If you missed the chance, it’s not too late. Here’s some “uplifting” related content—if there is such a thing—to mark such a horrific day.

I wrote this draft a week ago, and since then, we have strong reason to hope. With a ceasefire agreement signed by Israel and Hamas, and a possible hostage release early next week, these dark days are finally looking brighter. Though, as I right this, I’ve just been alerted that sirens have sounded in southern Israel, so don’t hold your breath.

I know this war has caused a lot of suffering and loss, but we all could use a little more love and good news, right?

This past Tu B’Av, the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem debuted a photography exhibit called “Love in the Shadow of War.” Curated and conceptualized by Ifat Shomrony (shoutout to my colleague, Eyal, for the connection!), the exhibit features eight couples whose love stories unfolded against the backdrop of the current war, capturing the rare and tender moments of connection and intimacy that emerged amid fear, loss, and uncertainty. Each couple shared a brief version of their story to instill hope in all of us.

I selected three stories from the exhibit to feature here! If you’re in Israel, please visit the exhibit for meeee.

“And they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24)
The love story of Rimonda Elisha and Ilan Etzioni

Rimonda Elisha (72), a widow from Kibbutz Hanita, returned from a trip to Kyrgyzstan straight into the nightmare that engulfed Israel on October 7th. She was shocked and confused. All she could think about was the meat left in her freezer. Travel to the north was not permitted, so she packed two bags full of meat and distributed them among her children — perhaps trying to save something from the chaos. A few days later, she was evacuated to an assisted living facility. There she met Ilan Etzioni (80), a widower from Kibbutz Dan who had lost his wife to illness during the war. “I thought I didn’t need a man in my life,” she said, but his gaze cracked her frozen heart and opened it to a new and unexpected love. “This is the only good thing to come out of the war,” they say.

“Vi zogt men oyf yidish libe?” – ‘How do you say “love” in Yiddish?’
The love story of Yonatan Alman and Tal Alman-Finkelman

Yonatan lost his father in 2020 and feared that his father’s beloved language, Yiddish, would fade away. He decided to keep it alive. He began studying Yiddish and read his father’s writings in Language and Life magazine. When the war broke out, he was drafted to the reserves. While serving in the Artillery in the north, he posted jokes about matchmaking and songs in Yiddish he performed, holding his rifle. Among his thousands of viewers was Tal, a neuroscience researcher and yoga instructor. She watched and laughed all night and reached out to him the next day. He replied quickly. They talked for hours, and met in person a few days later. They got married in September 2024, and have a 5-month-old son. “Just as he revived a language, we have revived the language of love — together,” says Tal.

“Life is only a flicker of melted ice” -Dejan Stojanović
The love story of Tal Parnass and Giora Marani

On the same street in Hadera lived Tal (39) and Giora (32), both breathing and cold exposure instructors, each in their own peaceful world. They never imagined they would find love in a time of war. Ilay Baram was a pioneer of ice bathing in Israel. He went to dance at the “Nova” festival and was murdered there. His tin bathtub with his name painted on it became a lasting memory. On October 17th 2023, Tal and Giora met at Ilay’s memorial. Giora’s smile touched Tal; her gentleness warmed him. They became one breath, moved in together by the sea, and are getting married this summer. They teach people to take ice baths and breathe through the pain. “An ice bath teaches pain and security and connection,” Giora says.

Learn more about the exhibit here. ❤️

Shabbat Shalom with love and peace,