Dear Reader,

Within hours of the horrific Hamas attacks on October 7, I was on a plane to Israel to cover whatever happened next.

I spent three weeks criss-crossing the country, breaking a number of stories well before mainstream outlets were able to do so. Why? Because for 126 years, the Forward has gone where the stories are.

I cannot tell you what will happen next between Israel and Hamas. But I can tell you that my colleagues and I will continue to be everywhere that Jewish news is happening, reporting on the stories that matter most to you.

Covering a war is expensive and we need your help to do it right. You can help the Forward power its coverage of the war.

In Israel, my connections and deep knowledge of the Jewish state allowed me to tell important stories before other outlets knew they were happening. I observed the civilian-run ‘war room’ at the Tel Aviv Expo center, where 1,500 Israeli tech experts are working around the clock to locate the hostages Hamas kidnapped.

I sat with many grieving families, both Jewish and Arab, and shared their stories, hopes, fears and dreams with you.

As I documented the pain and grief of a country still reeling, I felt a deep kinship with the generations of Forward writers who have covered horrific tragedy and Jewish grief, from the Triangle Waist Company fire to the horrors of the Holocaust.

As Abe Cahan wrote in 1939, “We are showing you all this now so that today and in the future, Jewish readers will remember, along with the rest of the world.”

Throughout its history, the Forward has covered the Jewish news wherever it happens. We will continue to do so with your help.

Make your generous donation today so we can continue bringing you the war coverage you trust and rely on.

Thank you for your support,

Laura E. Adkins

Opinion Editor

The Forward

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