On Monday Oct. 7, Aish presented the New York City premiere of the documentary “October 7: Voice of Pain, Hope and Heroism” at the AMC Empire 25 theater. The film presents the incredible stories of five resilient families whose lives were changed forever by the events of Oct. 7, 2023.
Aish CEO Rabbi Steven Burg said, “This first anniversary of October 7, I think of what 1946 was, the first year after the Holocaust, when everyone was trying to understand. How do we commemorate? How do we commiserate? How do we heal our broken hearts? There’s so many pieces that are not yet put back together.” Burg referenced Rashi’s commentary on Parshat Nitzavim, the end of Moses’s leadership. The Jewish people were terrified after hearing terrible things that could happen to them. “Moses says after Egypt and all these terrible things that happened to us, you’re still standing. The superpower of the Jew is that no matter what we go through, we’re still standing. As our hearts are broken, we try to find inspirational stories. Tonight’s stories are incredible, of families that were broken but moved past it. They kept standing.”
The screening, followed by panel discussions featuring prominent social media influencers, provided a platform for reflection, dialogue and a renewed sense of Jewish identity in the face of rising antisemitism. Rabbi Elliot Matthias moderated a live panel of Tanya Zuckerbrot, CEO of F-Factor; Zach Sage Fox, co-founder of Fat Camp Films, an actor, comedian, and filmmaker; Ari Ackerman, entrepreneur, investor, Miami Marlins partner and founder of Bunk1; and Lizzy Savetsky, author and leading Jewish influencer.
Matthias stated, “October 7 is a day that will always be seared in our soul. A year and a half ago, it was just another date on the calendar.” Matthias offered that Oct. 7 will become infamous not because of the attack on the Jewish people, “but because of the response we had that day and moving forward; that the Jewish people and those who support us all over the world became united, became committed and decided we’re no longer going to stand by as the Jewish people in Israel were attacked.”
Matthias asked the panelists, “How have things changed since October 7?” Zuckerbrot reflected on the Jewish community’s awakening: “There has always been resiliency in the fabric of who Jews are. But we forgot our history and we all thought that we had become highly assimilated once again. But looking back at what took place in Germany, the Nazis still came for you even if you were assimilated. I don’t think we were aware just how pervasive antisemitism still was.”
Sage Fox said, “I think my whole life, I was surrounded by so many Jews. It was such an important part of my identity. October 7 happened, and all of a sudden, everything I thought was background information in my life became material I could put in the forefront.
“I assumed everybody in Hollywood would feel how I felt,” he added. “I had the luxury of being able to have this career that my ancestors literally fled persecution to be able to give me. If I had to live freely as a Jew, or pursue my dreams, I assumed most Jews in Hollywood felt the same way or at least enough did that would cocoon us. I think October 7 was a shock, but I think the real shock waves came the days after, the weeks after. Where was Hollywood? Where are all these people I looked up to my entire life?”
Savetsky, who experienced the attacks first hand from a bomb shelter in Jerusalem, noted a shift in perception: “A big change for me was seeing Israel as vulnerable, I’d never seen Israel that way before, I had always taken it as a given, and that was very frightening. With all the antisemitism in the world, we understand the need for Israel that much more.”
Despite the challenges, the panels concluded on notes of hope and action. Ackerman stressed the importance of embracing Jewish identity: “I’ve seen so many people embrace their Judaism since October 7, and give to Jewish organizations, and that has been a beautiful thing. We are facing a fight for our people, an existential threat for our very survival.”
Panelists were asked to offer concrete suggestions for moving forward. Their suggestions included taking on positive actions each year on Oct. 7, supporting fellow Jews and Israeli businesses, deepening personal faith, and engaging in political advocacy to ensure continued support for Israel.
Savetsky quoted her rabbi: “This past year, he has seen ordinary people become extraordinary. It’s such a simple statement that’s so true. Everyone has their own gifts from God, their own resources that they tapped into this past year to make a difference.” Ackerman explained that as a partner in the Miami Marlins, he was able to use the baseball platform. “I am very proud to say that we were the first baseball team, I believe the first sports team, to post in support of Israel and the Jewish people.” (on October 8 at 1 p.m.) He added that “the most important thing right now is to support Israel.”
Sage Fox noted that, as American Jews, we need to vote, “I think one of the big realizations after 10/7 is there’s no guarantee Israel is always going to get American aid.” Zuckerbrot added that, regarding social media, “not everyone wants to make content, and that’s OK, but it’s so important to ‘like’ and forward, because the algorithms respond to it.”
The impact of Aish’s efforts since Oct. 7 have been substantial, with 340 million video views, 200 million people interacting with Aish on social media, 17 million engagements, and 528,000 new social media followers. These numbers reflect a growing movement of Jewish pride and education in the face of adversity.
The documentary film “October 7: Voice of Pain, Hope and Heroism” can be viewed by visiting www.oct7film.com
