Rutgers Hillel hosted two events on Tuesday evening, September 10, acknowledging the terrorist attack of October 7 in Israel.
The first was the opening of an art exhibit from Tel Aviv’s ANU—Museum of the Jewish People that looks at life in Israel during the current war and the impact it has had. Reproductions of parts of the exhibit accompanied by music composed to comfort those affected can be seen in the Karmazin Gallery until November.
One amazing piece is by Ziva Jelin, an artist and curator at the gallery in Kibbutz Be’eri which was burned to the ground on October 7. Hamas terrorists entered the shed that was Jelin’s studio and sprayed it with bullets. The piece on exhibit shows a bullet hole and traces of the shooting. Lisa Harris Glass, Rutgers Hillel executive director, had seen the ANU exhibit while in Israel over the summer and felt it important to bring the exhibit to New Jersey for us to experience. Visit the Rutgers Hillel website for more information: https://rutgershillel.org/
The art opening was followed by “Survived to Tell,” a presentation coordinated by Israel-Is featuring two young men who told their stories of their escape from the Nova Festival. Approximately 200 people from the community and students came to hear the firsthand stories.
Sagi Gabay had been excited to attend the Nova Festival and purchased his ticket in June to be sure to reserve his spot. His successful escape from the terrorists was filled with decisions that literally meant the difference between life and death. Gabay and a friend had to abandon their car when the road became impassable with traffic and cars with bullet holes blocking their way. For a time he was in the same bomb shelter that Hersh Goldberg-Polin was in, but left just a few minutes before Hamas destroyed it and took the occupants captive. “They took the opportunity to attack the festival because it was next to an open field,” said Gabay, “where there was nowhere for people to hide.”
Shalev Biton had been traveling abroad after his military service and was originally scheduled to return to Israel on the evening of October 7. He changed his flight to the end of September and made plans to go to the Nova festival with a group of friends who hadn’t seen each other in years. His escape from the festival was aided by a Bedouin farmer who allowed festival refugees onto the farm and convinced Hamas terrorists that nobody else was on the premises. An emotional, moving video of the farmer and the people he saved, meeting several months later, concluded the formal presentation and led into Q&A. Israel-Is was founded to help people worldwide understand what is going on in Israel by connecting young Israelis and their peers in person, on Instagram, and other social media platforms.
Rabbi Eliot Malomet of the Highland Park Conservative Temple-Congregation Anshe Emeth said, “This is part of the Jewish story now. As painful as it is to see and hear this, it is important to hear and add layers to the testimony. It is vital to communicate these stories and make sure they are known.”
