When the attack by Hamas occurred on October 7th, I was leading a service for the festival of Simchat Torah, the Rejoicing in the Torah, a particularly joyful day in the Jewish calendar. I had heard there was an attack, and mentioned in the service that we were thinking of those who had been killed, but we had no idea of the full extent or horror of the events of that day.  Details emerged over the following days, and then Israel began its attack on Gaza and our television screens were dominated by pictures of the terrible suffering there. Like many of my colleagues and friends, I found myself close…