For the Jewish community in Los Angeles, the return of Israeli hostages is a moment marked by relief, grief, and spiritual reflection. Few younger Angelenos articulate these complex feelings more clearly than Lux Steinberg, Director of Development and Engagement at Open Temple and a resident of Moishe House Venice. Lux describes this moment not only as a geopolitical event, but as a wider communal reckoning with what it means to come home when “the place you're coming back to looks nothing like it did before.” In times of uncertainty, this homecoming carries profound emotional and spiritual weight.
Homecoming When Home Has Changed
Lux shared that recently Open Temple hosted a Tisha b’Av observance that was its own kind of bittersweet homecoming. Together, the community walked through the fire-damaged ruins of Pacific Palisades and to mourn the loss and the return. “What does homecoming look like when the home you're coming back to no longer exists?” he asked. At both local and international levels, the idea of return is now tied to mourning, a sense of loss, and the rebuilding of a spiritual center. For young Jewish people, homecoming is not only about physical safety; it is about reclaiming meaning, grounding, and the possibility of community after a violent rupture.
The Spiritual Work of Returning
The physical return of the hostages, Lux noted, is only one part of a journey into uncharted territory. It’s an experience that provides more questions than answers. “Their bodies are here… but where is the framework for the return home for their hearts or their souls?” Judaism’s rituals, including Shabbat, Havdalah, funerals, and moments of communal gathering, offer pathways for spiritual reintegration. Lux connected this to his experience during Open Temple’s Kol Nidre services at Hillside Memorial Park, describing Hillside as “a place filled with nature, filled with meaning… a really amazing feeling of being taken care of.” In moments where spirit and body struggle to reunite, ritual becomes the bridge.
Holding Community Together in a Time of Fracture
This moment has also revealed deep divisions within and beyond the Jewish community. Lux shared his hope that young Jews use this time “as the impetus to come together… even though no matter what our opinions are, we should be talking together.” He spoke candidly about the pressures he sees in queer spaces, justice-oriented groups, and young Jewish circles, where expressing support for Israel’s existence can be harshly judged, and where others idealize Israel in a way that leaves no room for critique. For Lux, Israel is “not perfect, but it is important,” and the path forward requires “open hearts, open ears, and open minds.” Lux trusts in core Jewish values like Hineni, showing up fully, and Tikkun Olam, the repair of the world, as practices that can hold fractured communities together.
Returning to One Another
As the world watches the hostages return home, young members of Los Angeles’ Jewish Community are searching for their own ways back: back to community, back to compassion, back to a Judaism that feels rooted and resilient. Lux’s reflections remind us that homecoming is both a physical and spiritual act, and that in moments of crisis, the Jewish community’s greatest strength lies in its commitment to show up for one another, even across difference. Healing, like return, takes time, patience, and collective care.
If you’re curious about Open Temple, we encourage you to explore the events and community gatherings they will continue to host throughout the holidays, by visiting their
website.
