JERUSALEM—As air raid sirens and news of hostages dominate headlines in Israel, communities across the country quietly mark an ancient tradition: Sefirat HaOmer, the counting of the Omer. Stemming from biblical commandments, this nightly ritual—counting the days from Passover to Shavuot—binds the Jewish people spiritually and historically across millennia, and today provides crucial continuity and comfort for a nation under siege.
The Omer, steeped in the agrarian origins of the ancient Israelites, commemorates both the first barley offering at the Temple and the journey from Egypt’s slavery to Sinai’s revelation. Each evening, Israelis recite the blessing—“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us regarding the counting of the Omer”—then announce the day’s count, progressing for 49 nights until Shavuot. The prayer, “May the Merciful One restore the service of the Temple to its place, speedily in our days, Amen,” echoes both the longing for spiritual wholeness and national restoration—a resonance felt with special urgency during times of conflict.
In 2024, this spiritual practice is inseparable from current Israeli reality. The ongoing war, sparked by the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre—the deadliest antisemitic terror attack since the Holocaust—has seen Israeli society grieve for victims of mutilation, executions, abductions, and sexual violence. Families pray for the safe return of hostages held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, a crisis that underscores the distinction between innocent captives and convicted terror operatives released in exchanges. Daily missile threats from Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and other Iranian-backed proxies force millions into shelters as Israeli forces, led by Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, respond in self-defense on multiple fronts.
During the Omer period, the overlap with national days—Holocaust Remembrance Day, Memorial Day for soldiers and terror victims, and Independence Day—reflects how mourning, resilience, and hope are woven into Israel’s identity. At synagogues, families, and even military outposts, the ritual of counting persists, sometimes in the shadow of new losses, reinforcing Israel’s historic refusal to yield to fear or terror.
Importantly, Sefirat HaOmer’s laws contain a poignant metaphor: those who miss counting an entire day continue, but without the blessing—symbolic of how absence and loss shape but do not halt the national and spiritual journey. The prayer for restoration references the ancient Temple destroyed by Rome, an enduring reminder of exile and resilience—a precedent many in Israel see reflected in today’s fight for survival against regional threats orchestrated by Iran and its network of militant groups.
Globally, Jewish communities echo this practice, reinforcing bonds with Israel at a time when antisemitism is surging to levels unseen since the Holocaust. The act of public counting becomes both a symbol of unity and a statement of endurance.
Israeli leaders have invoked the Omer’s significance. Prime Minister Netanyahu and other officials frame the war as a struggle not only for physical security but for the survival of Jewish memory, faith, and values amid relentless assault. The Omer’s nightly discipline, shared by civilians and soldiers, stands as a reaffirmation that Jewish destiny is a journey through adversity toward redemption.
As the days of Sefirat HaOmer progress in 2024—each number recited against a backdrop of conflict—Israelis and Jews worldwide find meaning in the ritual’s dual message: remembrance of tragedy, and the undimmed hope for restoration and peace.
