Baltimore Jewish community leaders have a sense of wary optimism about the developing situation in Israel and the wider Middle East region as news of tentative cease-fires with Hezbollah has arrived and reports of progress in hostage talks with Hamas after months of stagnation are coming out by the day.
Local leaders were encouraged by the positive reports from Lebanon, Gaza and Syria and the impact of the last few weeks on the status of the region. They added, however, that with the good news there's still a lot more that needs to be done to achieve peace and security for Israel.
Baltimore organizations also said that, no matter how the situation develops over the coming months, they remain committed to providing strong aid to Israel in recovery and rebuilding from the devastation of these past 14 months.
"I am encouraged that the positive military developments could create a condition for a more lasting stable period for Israel and in the region," said Eric Fingerhut, CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America. "I also know that the end of the war will bring to light all the trauma and damage that has been suffered the last 14 months in Israel, and that we as a community will have a huge responsibility to support our brothers and sisters in Israel for a long time after the fighting stops."
A concrete development towards peace is the cease-fire deal with Hezbollah that was signed on Nov. 27, ending a constant shelling of the border territories in both countries, though both parties have since claimed dozens of treaty violations, leaving many wondering if the peace will hold.
Howard Libit, executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council, said that people in Israel are still wary of returning home after spending over a year displaced due to constant Hezbollah rockets in northern Israel.
"Some people I've talked to, I'm not sure have the confidence yet to say, 'I'm going to go back and rebuild my house, fix it up and do repairs.' [Because] is it really safe? I think that's one of the open questions still," Libit said.
Kirk Wisemayer, CEO and president of the Jewish Federation of Howard County, said that he's also hearing from friends in northern Israel that they aren't considering retuning home yet until there's a clear indication that peace will hold because they don't want to return prematurely and get sent away again.
"There's a lot of people, especially those who live in the north or around the Gaza perimeter, who are wary and hoping for the best, but not necessarily ready to resume life as normal, because it's been a long time that this has been going on," Wisemayer said.
And in regard to possible movement on a hostage deal with Hamas, Libit remained hopeful but said he wouldn't celebrate until the moment that Hamas has physically returned the hostages.
Libit cited previous negotiation attempts that seemed to be close to completion that fell through as reason for caution.
The prospect of peace in the region led to reflection about what the work of local Jewish organizations would be like moving forward. The leaders all said that if peace is somehow achieved, they would continue an unwavering focus on supporting Israel, though the exact nature of their work might shift.
"We remain committed and determined to advocate for and support Israel and our community, navigating these uncertain times with unity and resolve," said Caren Leven, the executive director of Baltimore Zionist District.
Wisemayer said that a change he predicts would be an emphasis from the Federation is to rebuild in and around Israel structurally and emotionally, as well as rebuilding relationships.
"Many Federations around the country have had long-term relationships with Arab partners within Israel, whether it's the Bedouin or the Palestinians or the Druze. I think those efforts have suffered in many cases because of what's going on and not for lack of wanting to continue. It's just difficult when there's a war going on," Wisemayer said.
Libit said he sees BJC continuing much of its work to support Israeli citizens, ranging from supplying mental health services to outfitting secure rooms and bomb shelters, but the organization could also help accelerate business relationships between Maryland and Israeli companies.
He added that Israel's workforce and economy have suffered from the war, so being part of rebuilding could be an area to which BJC could contribute.
The prospect of peace also raises questions about the impact on local Jewish communities from not living in a time of war when so many that they care about are in the impacted areas.
Libit said many people he knows in Baltimore keep alerts on their phones from Israel to keep them updated when air raid sirens are going off and other war-related news.
He added that having to keep constant tabs on the safety of loved ones is a large burden that won't ever go away but can hopefully be diminished.
"Hopefully those alerts go off much less frequently, and they're able to sleep through the night more," Libit said. "It will be a huge weight off the shoulders of so many people in our community who have family there, who have friends there, who have children there studying for the year."
And Wisemayer said that to not have to be constantly in the news loop, learning more about human suffering and conflict, would be a greatly welcome development for the Jewish community and the entire Baltimore community.
"As human beings, it's very difficult and painful to see any people suffering -- not just Jewish people, but any people," Wisemayer said.