Like many of us have experienced, it’s been difficult for me to access a sense of hope since Oct. 7, 2023. I’ve tried, but my energy and ambitions have felt muted. It has been a devastating time for the Jewish people. When it seems as if there is a new tragedy, a new crisis, around every corner, it becomes almost impossible to imagine a way forward.

And yet, as the year turns and we creep day by day further into 2025, I am choosing to grab onto the glimmer of hope that remains and allow myself to believe in better days to come. The impending hostage deal is one of these glimmers and please God may it come to fruition and #bringthemhomenow. Holding onto hope, even and especially when it feels so far away, takes courage. As Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks articulates in To Heal a Fractured World, hope is not a passive act or simply wishful thinking, but a brave act of defiance against despair. It is one of our most powerful tools, a quiet force that drives us to reflect, strive and grow. Even if we don’t tick every box on our resolution list or achieve every goal, there is still value in the journey itself. 

This belief in hope has been critical in my work advancing gender equity in Jewish professional spaces. In 2018, which feels like a lifetime ago, I penned a bold vision for 5779 (the year according to the Hebrew calendar). “Let’s make this the Year of the Jewish Woman,” I wrote. At the time, I dreamed of a world where gender equity wasn’t just a talking point but a lived reality. I imagined a Jewish professional landscape where women were not only included but empowered — where the gender-based power dynamics that have long dominated our community would be addressed, balanced and hopefully eradicated. I wrote, “Let us look back on 5779 as a year that launched a period of unparalleled advances for women in the Jewish community — in terms of policy, office behaviors, allyship, advancement, equity and leadership.” 

It was an audacious goal, but from the hope of what could be, I took action. I started a Facebook group to connect and uplift Jewish women professionals; today, it has over 5,500 members. I spoke up, wrote articles and built relationships with incredible women leaders. I devoured every resource I could find on advancing systemic change. And this year, I became the executive director of SRE Network. The work has been hard — at times discouraging — but necessary. 

Similar to my journey, SRE Network launched in 2018 with its own big dreams — to build a Jewish communal landscape free from harassment and discrimination. Through the years, SRE has seen tangible progress. One hundred eight-five Jewish organizations have now pledged their support to create workplaces that are welcoming and inclusive by becoming SRE members. Most of these organizations have developed foundational policies and procedures to prevent discrimination and build healthy, safe workplaces. New initiatives and organizations that empower women and those with marginalized identities to drive bold change have launched with support from SRE’s grantmaking strategy.

Despite this progress, seven years later, the Jewish communal workplace is still not what we believe it can be. 

Gender inequity persists. Women’s work continues to be undervalued. Women’s voices too often go unheard. Women are still underrepresented in leadership roles at major Jewish organizations. More broadly, women’s rights nationally are at risk and under attack, and some have already been stripped away. Furthermore, the horrific sexual violence against women on Oct. 7 starkly reminded us how little the world values or respects Jewish women’s bodies in particular and how quick they are to ignore and dismiss victims of sexual violence and assault. 

It’s easy to feel discouraged by all that hasn’t changed, to throw in the towel on our dreams and declare that systemic change is too slow and too hard. 

But if we were to give up, we’d miss the very point of hope: the belief that things can and will improve — but only if we keep going. We’d miss the quiet wins unfolding all around us, the incremental shifts that demonstrate progress is not only possible, but happening. Hope is what pushes us forward, even when the work feels overwhelming.

Of course, many of the dreams I articulated in 2018 have not come to fruition (yet), but some have started to take shape. 

Based on Leading Edge data, more women are leading Jewish organizations than they were in 2017. We’ve seen female voices rise as keynote speakers at major Jewish conferences. New Jewish women’s organizations have formed, while older ones continue to grow and evolve. The wage gap, while still present, is shrinking, and incredible partnerships are being formed between women and allies alike. Every step forward is a victory. 

The future of our Jewish community must continue to shift and evolve if we are going to garner the full talent, leadership and voices of our workforce to solve our most pressing challenges. Women’s voices and perspectives hold the keys to expansive possibilities and solutions. It’s up to us to ensure we are making room for, inviting, and listening to those voices.

In Jewish tradition, tikvah (hope) is a core value. It’s not a passive waiting for change but an active belief in a better future, even when adversity surrounds us. It’s a principle embedded in the Israeli national anthem, “Hatikvah,” and in the stories that have sustained the Jewish people for generations. Our history has taught us that even in the darkest times, hope compels us to move forward together, with faith that a better world is within reach.

As we step into another new year, I invite us all to pause and reflect.

1. Acknowledge the progress we’ve made. Even if we haven’t reached every goal, let’s take a moment to recognize the changes we’ve created together.
2. Reach out to an ally in this work. Thank them for their support and share with them how their contributions have inspired you. Our relationships with one another are the key to making this work happen.
3. Dream big. Set formidable goals, and don’t be afraid to speak them out loud. Write them down. Share them with others. Even if they don’t come true this year, saying them is the first step in making them a reality. And I want to hear about them — reach out to me at rachelg@srenetwork.org and let’s keep the conversation going.

Here’s to the new year, 2025/5785: The “Year of the Jewish Women” who bravely let hope be our compass. 

Rachel Gildiner is the executive director of SRE Network.