Lamport Auditorium opened its doors to commemorate one year since the Jewish people suffered the massacre of Simchat Torah.

On September 30, Yeshiva University hosted “Remembering October 7 Together,” a night of commemoration for last year’s terrorist attacks that have been seared in the mind of Am Yisrael. YU students sang, davened and were inspired by an array of speakers.

After entering Zysman Hall, students received a copy of “One Day in October,” a book by Yair Agmon and Oriya Mevorach telling 40 stories from that fateful day. Dr. Erica Brown, YU’s director of the Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and Leadership and vice provost for values and leadership, opened the event by introducing Rabbi Yosef Kalinsky, dean of Undergraduate Torah Studies, who led the audience in reciting Tehillim for the welfare of the Jewish state. The Y-Studs a cappella group then sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Brown returned to speak, thanking and giving a blessing to ZAKA Search and Rescue and founder Yossi Landau. Following this, a video was presented that showed YU’s numerous efforts to support Israel since last October. The program went on to highlight something about each month of the war, starting with October and the story of Nova festival survivor and YU student Tomer Meir.

Meir, who hails from Givatayim and was a soldier in Tzanchanim, recounted his story of the Nova festival massacre. “When I look back at that long, horrible day, I think of the miracle of my survival,” he said. I’m still here, and I’m here for a reason.” Later, he “met a family of angels who offered … [him] a place at YU,” and he is now a freshman.

Next, Yeshiva Student Union president Sam Weinberg recounted YU’s attendance in last November’s pro-Israel demonstration in Washington D.C. Weinberg charged the audience to do what it can to help the cause, concluding, “Please join me in transforming our love and concern for Israel into tangible action.”

After the Y-Studs led the singing of “Acheinu,” Dr. Giti Bendheim memorialized her great-nephews who were killed fighting for Israel, Yosef Malachi Guedalia on October 7 and Ben Zussman on December 3. “Ben and Yosef led lives full of meaning, purpose and joy … Yehi Zichram Baruch,” Bendheim said.

Next was Beren Campus Student Government’s Stern College representative Eden Lippe. She recalled her trip to Israel in January with the Sacks-Herenstein Center, which “gave … [students] the opportunity to engage directly with those affected By October 7.” The trip, entitled the “Stronger Together” solidarity mission, included the dedication of a sefer Torah “in memory of brothers Roi and Ariel Guri, who were killed protecting their community on October 7.”

The next speaker was Stern College alumna Gila Friedman, who attended the Stronger Together trip and whose cousin, Maoz Morell, was killed in February defending Israel. She spoke about Maoz and mentioned that at her July wedding, she and her husband “were privileged to stand under a chuppah cloth dedicated to Maoz with the words ‘Hashem Maoz Chayai,’ ‘Hashem is the stronghold of my life’ [Tehillim 27:1].”

Then, a video was played of Mizrachi’s Rabbi Doron Perez speaking about the death of his son Daniel, who was confirmed in March to have been killed protecting his people on October 7. “But,” Rabbi Perez reflected, “one of the most profound feelings I had on that day [in March] is that none of the prayers [for Daniel] were in vain.” For instance, Daniel was still able to be buried through the discovery of his uniform. Indeed, “most of those declared dead in Gaza don’t have a grave because there is nothing to bury.”

The Y-Studs returned to sing prayers for the IDF and Israel, hearkening to last April, “six months since the start of the war … when we intensified our tefillot,” one of the singers said.

Next, senior Tehila Bitton honored three soldiers who were killed in Rafah on May 28, Uri Bar Or, Ido Appel and Amir Galilove, the latter of whom had his organs donated after his death. “May his memory and the memory of all those who fell serve as a blessing and ignite a revolution,” Bitton said. She also talked about Ben Adam, an initiative helping Israeli kids struggling from the war.

Discussing the rescue operation of four hostages on June 8, president of the Beren Campus Student Government Shalhevet Cohen thanked Hashem for their successful return. She then spoke of Arnon Zamora, who was killed executing the operation. “May his memory be for a blessing,” Cohen said. She also told of the miracles of that day’s success.

Then, former chayal and current student Aharon Cohen related that on July 23, he was at the scene where fellow soldier Ben Brown was hit by the shrapnel of a Hezbollah rocket and had to be hospitalized. “Ben survived that day, but his recovery has been slow. … Ben’s fight is not just his own. It is shared by all of us, a testament to the power of community and faith,” a hopeful Cohen said.

Commemorating the August 20 recovery of the bodies of six male hostages, senior Leora Muskat talked about each of their lives. “In their daring and courageous operation,” she said, “the IDF made sure that the bodies of these incredible men were returned to their families and received a proper burial in the state of Israel.”

Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz then gave divrei chizuk in the context of the six hostages found dead in September. He urged the audience “to not only think of the terrible losses, but also the incredible miracles …We daven for these miracles to continue,” Rabbi Lebowitz said, “and for the ultimate goals and destiny of the Jewish people to finally be realized.”

Concluding the evening, Brown introduced Rabbi Berman, president of YU, who spoke about “Hatikvah” and having hope for the future. “I ask you to please rise and join in the singing of ‘Hatikvah,’ not only as our national anthem, but as a prayer and a fulfillment of the promise of the Jewish people,” Rabbi Berman concluded.

The Y-Studs sang “Hatikvah” and “Avinu Malkeinu” before Brown concluded the program, finishing with a bracha for the audience: “Wishing you all a k’tiva v’chatima tova, a year of victory and healing for Israel and the Jewish people the world over.”

Daniel Brauner is a contributor and former summer intern for The Jewish Link. He attends Yeshiva University and lives in Teaneck. Contact him at [email protected].