MTA had the privilege of joining YU students and roshei yeshiva for a special program commemorating the shloshim of the October 7 massacre in Eretz Yisrael. The program included divrei chizuk, communal recitation of Tehillim and Mincha with “Avinu Malkeinu.” After everyone gathered in Lamport Auditorium, everyone heard a personal account from relatives of a few of the current hostages. It hit home especially hard to hear the first-hand account from family members waiting anxiously for news about their loved ones.

The program continued with divrei chizuk from YU President Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, who spoke of his own sons and neighbors in Israel who are currently on the front lines. Rabbi Berman also recited the first perek of Tehillim, which was followed by other YU roshei yeshiva and MTA’s own Rabbi Kerner. Mincha was recited, and the program concluded with the singing of Acheinu.

It was moving to see so many people davening together on behalf of Klal Yisrael, in hopes that our chayalim will be safe and the hostages will be freed. May we hear besoros tovos soon.