RKYHS marked one year since the horrible atrocities committed by Hamas against our people on October 7, with programming filled with meaning and purpose. Everyone in RKYHS received a label to wear throughout the day with the name and photo of someone who was killed on 10/7 or has fallen since then. All of RKYHS gathered for a program that focused on the enormity and cruelty of the day, while working to reconcile the sadness and resilience that have been living side by side for all of us since that day. They davened for the safe return of the hostages and the safety of all the soldiers in the IDF. They then heard from Tomer Meir, a young survivor of the Nova festival who was interviewed by Nathan Orbach (JKHA ‘16/RKYHS ‘20). Tomer shared his incredible story of survival and the light he’s created from the darkness. The RKYHS Israel Action Committee reviewed all the ways the RKYHS community has stepped up to support our brothers and sisters in Israel over the last year. RKYHS students had follow-up discussions in Judaics classes to help unpack the program.

Later in the day, RKYHS students were honored to host the Rishonim of Greater MetroWest for a panel discussion, sharing their experiences as teenagers in Israel over the past year. RKYHS also worked on a joint project with JKHA to create an engraved wall of memory with the names of every person killed on October 7, and in the war since then, in the central lobby near the Klatt Beit Midrash.