An Open Letter to Run For Their Lives – Boulder, Day #731

Dear Friends: 

I’m glad I returned to Boulder shortly after the June 1 attack to be with my family and all of you while recovering and moving forward with our work. Perhaps Sunday’s 180+ strong second October 7 anniversary Walk will have been our last, B’H’. Thursday, I’ll rejoin the Hostages Families Forum volunteer crew in Jerusalem to hopefully wind down the work and dismantle the headquarters tent on Azza street. May the Hostages arrive home in time to sit with their families in their Sukkot of freedom.

Some of us heard former hostage Omer Shemtov’s inspiring talk at C.U. a few weeks ago. I’ve been wondering if he was always that comfortable on-stage, or was this new found confidence born of the transformations he surely went through during his 500+ days in Hell. Since December 2023, I’ve had the immense privilege to frequently photograph many of the Hostage families and watch their transformation from ‘ordinary’ people into public profiles in courage battling for their loved ones. The Hostages and their families became Run For Their Lives’ loved ones, too, as we rose to the occasion and transformed ourselves into their local face and voice. I am forever grateful to Rachel Amaru for creating our small but vital role as active participants in this profound moment in Israeli and indeed Jewish History. Each of our names is now inscribed in the millenia-old story of the Jewish People, including those of our righteous allies who joined our cause – you’ve been a blessing. The steepest price was paid for those inscriptions; we’ll forever honor our injured ones and the memory of Karen Diamond z”l.

Another transformation is on our horizon, aligned with an ‘unofficial’ theme of our Sunday gatherings that on June 1 we paid to own and name: publicly showing up as open, proud and courageous Jews unafraid to be seen as such. We’re not going back to an earlier generation of Jews as conditionally accepted citizens, nor will we abandon our story nor break partnership with Israel, the fullest modern expression of Jewish Peoplehood, self determination and sovereignty in our ancient homeland. But right now we’re being trounced by the near daily barrage of anti-Jewish and anti-Israel false narratives that dominate Boulder’s public square, unchecked by any consistent, intellectually honest and unapologetic Jewish perspectives.

We need to go on offense and mostly outside the confines of Jewish-only spaces. We need to tell our story by hosting compelling new learning opportunities for non-Jews and Jews alike. These must include smart, engaging, even entertaining programs that compete with the dishonest narratives that occupy Boulder’s public spaces. And we need organized political work against the relentless assault upon our Peoplehood and Israel stoked by certain City Council members and candidates, some civic, religious and political groups and leaders, and several local airwave hosts and social media influencers. 

For nearly two years, Run For Their Lives has been the most significant public Jewish activism in Boulder since Boulder Action for Soviet Jewry’s life saving work in the 1980’s and 90’s. Let’s finally Bring Them Home Now and bring ourselves home to start actively ensuring our free, safe, equitable and rightful place here in Boulder and in Israel along with all people of good will.

Chag Sukkot sameach. May this truly be a season of our recovery, restoration and joy among one another.

Bruce Shaffer

May the Hostages held in Gaza be swiftly returned.

The opinions expressed in this letter are the author’s personally and are not made on behalf of Run For Their Lives – Boulder