News

500 Days After October 7, the Hostages are Still in Our Hearts

Author

Hillel International

Date

February 16, 2025

Content Warning: This piece contains reference to the October 7 terrorist attacks, including mentions of kidnapping and murder. Please read with care.

It has been 500 days since October 7, 2023. Hamas still holds 70 hostages in unspeakable conditions. Jewish people and their allies around the world are working for their release, telling their stories, and saying their names. Lidar, a Jewish Agency Israel Fellow based at a university in California, shared this story about his friend Sasha Troufanov, who was a hostage in Gaza for 498  days before being released this past weekend. 

For Lidar, advocacy for his friend Sasha Troufanov, taken captive by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and released this past weekend on February 15, 2025, has become an important part of his work with Jewish college students. Sasha’s story also has become an inspiration to Lidar’s students at a time of increased antisemitism and isolation in their classes and on campus.  

Lidar and Sasha became friends as young adults. “I was a little intimidated by him when we first met,” Lidar said. “He’s a big, tall, strong guy, and I was the new guy, and he wasn’t really talking to me. But then we went to an event together, and we started to talk, and I realized he was just the nicest guy. He was always smiling, always funny.”

Sasha’s parents lived on Kibbutz Nir Oz, which was brutally attacked on October 7, 2023. A day earlier, Sasha and his girlfriend, Sapir, had gone to visit his parents for Shabbat. The next morning, Hamas terrorists unleashed terror upon the kibbutz, murdering Sasha’s father, Vitaly, and taking Sasha and Sapir hostage, along with Sasha’s mother, Yelena, and grandmother, Irena. The three women were freed during the first hostage-release deal in November 2023, but Sasha remained in captivity until this weekend, with very little known about his condition.

“There were two videos of him released last year, but we didn’t know anything more, and none of the hostages who came home talked about seeing him,” Lidar said. 

Sasha’s friends and family were given new hope recently when they learned that Sasha was on the list of hostages to be released in the first phase of this current hostage release and ceasefire deal, but  they remained anxious about his condition. “Seeing Sasha come home alive was everything I could have hoped for over the last 16 months,” Lidar said. 

In reflecting on Sasha’s time in captivity, Lidar said that he made sharing stories about his friend part of his daily routine. “One of Sasha’s habits was that every day at three o’clock, no matter what was happening or what he was doing, he’d have a coffee break,” Lidar said. “No matter what, three o’clock is coffee time. After he was kidnapped, some of his friends in Israel started doing ‘coffee for Sasha’ every day at three o’clock, and I started doing it here on campus.  It was  a way of pausing together and bringing some of his personality and his warmth everywhere we went.”

Thinking about how long Sasha was in captivity – and about the many hostages who remain in Gaza today –  is difficult. “I remember the first Yom HaZikaron (Israel’s day of remembrance for fallen soldiers and victims of terror) after October 7, we all thought that there was no way we’d get to a year without the hostages coming home,” Lidar said. “And now it’s been 500 days, and it’s just not on people’s minds in the same way anymore.”

Lidar hopes that people around the world will continue to keep the remaining 70 hostages in their hearts and prayers, tell their stories, and work to secure their release.  “While they’re still [in Gaza], we can’t fully breathe,” he said. “We all need to keep talking and remember that they’re still there, and we need to do everything in our power to get them back home.” 

Hear from Israel Fellows across the country about their experiences in the aftermath of October 7 and how they are sharing their stories with Jewish students on college and university campuses. 

The post 500 Days After October 7, the Hostages are Still in Our Hearts appeared first on Hillel International.

News

Marking One Year Since October 7, Students Gather to Remember, Grieve, and Advocate for the Hostages’ Return

Author

Hillel International

Date

October 10, 2024

On college campuses in the United States, Canada, and around the world, students came together one year after the horrific October 7 attacks on Israel: to mourn, to pray, to hope, and to gain strength from one another in community. Hillels serving students at hundreds of colleges and universities took a leading role in organizing events, including vigils, marches, and art installations; all with the goal of giving Jewish students safe and supportive spaces to connect, process, and grieve. 

Here are just some of the many ways Jewish college students marked one year since October 7 at Hillel.

At Boston University Hillel, Student Groups Came Together to Mourn and Remember

Boston University Students for Israel (BUSI) and Boston University Hillel held a memorial to commemorate the October 7 attacks, and to give students a space to gather in community and safety, separate from politics

“Today is to memorialize,” said Livia Prince, vice president of BUSI, according to The Daily Free Press. “For us, it’s not a political thing. It’s not the headlines. It’s more than that.”

Boston University has approximately 4,000 Jewish students, making it the largest undergraduate Jewish population at any private university, but these students weren’t alone on Monday. Students from surrounding campuses in the Boston area also attended the vigil and memorial, which featured photos of the victims, survivor testimonies, and a remembrance board where visitors could place stickers of the victims’ names. 

Rutgers University Students Create Spaces for Commemoration, Grief, and Support

For Rutgers University Hillel, honoring the victims of the October 7 attacks has been an ongoing part of student programming and communal support. 

Following the murder of six hostages in Gaza, including Israeli American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Jewish students held a vigil. They also hosted an art gallery exhibit with prints from the ANU Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv, featuring remarks from survivors of the Nova Music festival, and, most recently, held a joint Jewish-Hindu yoga event in memory of murdered hostage Carmel Gat.

On the anniversary of the attacks, students also came together for events and conversations across campus. A memorial for the victims stretched from one end of Voorhees Mall to the other, and included signs, artwork, an empty Shabbat table, and ribbons for those killed, kidnapped, and released. There was also an area for writing messages on kites and planting seeds in flower pots — which symbolized students’ desires for a better future. 

“We had hundreds of students attend, and the mood was both mournful and full of hope,” said Rabbi Esther Reed, chief experience officer at Rutgers Hillel. “It gave our community a chance to come together in solidarity, to mourn, and to express hope.”

“We got to pay our respects to those who were murdered, taken, and still held hostage, and those who risked their lives to protect Israel,” said Mitch Wolf (class of 2025), student president of Rutgers Hillel. “We gathered as a community to do what was right, remember everyone who was silenced and taken from us, and to show that we are united as one Jewish community on campus.”

At Stanford Hillel, Jewish and Israeli Students Honored the Victims and Hostages of October 7

Empty chairs and tables have become a symbol of commemoration for the October 7 victims and hostages. At Meyer Green, a park in Stanford University, students and community members gathered within a circle of empty chairs, each with a photo of someone missing or murdered in the October 7 attack. Holding Israeli flags and candles, students led Hebrew prayers and held moments of silence within the “Let Our People Go” exhibit, organized by Hillel at Stanford. 

“The way I see the world, the pain I feel and the safety I perceive, have been irreversibly changed,” said Naama Bejerano (class of 2025), an Israeli Stanford student, according to The Stanford Daily. “I hope we can take our collective pain and come together…to support one another, to be present for those who cannot, and to continue to care for each other the way we care for ourselves.”

At UCLA, October 7 Events Included a March, a Vigil, and a Heart-wrenching Play

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) made headlines last spring when anti-Israel protesters set up illegal encampments and checkpoints at the school that restricted access to parts of campus for Jewish students.. 

““Our Hillel has made a point to promote dialogue and openness on our campus, something that many activists on our campus fight against as part of their problematic non-normalization campaign against Israel and Zionism,” said Dan Gold, executive director of Hillel at UCLA. “We know that the only path toward a more positive campus climate must include listening to each other and honoring the narratives we all offer.” ” 

To commemorate the October 7 attacks, Jewish students at UCLA held a solidarity march around campus, as well as a vigil in Bruin Plaza attended by about 700 people. UCLA also hosted a reading of “October 7,” a play that dramatizes the accounts of survivors of the October 7 attacks, and is based on interviews with about 20 survivors of the attacks. 

“I didn’t know the weight of this until we were reading it,” actor Josh Bitton told the Los Angeles Times. Bitton’s connection to the October 7 attacks is extremely personal. Three of his family members were killed and two kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri. 

“It’s been an honor to be a part of this. It feels like one of the only ways I feel like I can do anything,” he said.

“This performance was a great way for our Hillel to memorialize the victims of Hamas’ horrific terrorist attack on 10/7 by bringing their voices to our community and promoting their narratives and their truths of what happened that day,” added Gold. 

More Than 1,000 Jewish Students at the University of Maryland Come Together

Holding candles and wearing t-shirts with the words “Never Forget 10.7.2023,” more than 1,100 people attended a vigil organized by Maryland Hillel on Monday night. Gathered outside the Hillel building, Jewish students sang, prayed, and shared words honoring those killed on October 7 and the impact the attack had on the students’ lives. 

“We couldn’t just be ordinary students,” said Emma Steinhause, UMD’s Jewish Student Union vice president, quoted in The Diamondback. “We had to transform ourselves into advocates, leaders, and spokespeople for the Jewish community.”

In addition to Hillel’s vigil, Terps for Israel also hosted a memorial for the hostages, which included a display of metal chairs with the name of each hostage kidnapped on October 7, and a Shabbat table for those who died in the Hamas attack, featuring the names and faces of Americans taken hostage by Hamas. 

“When we have our low moments, the only way that we can rise up is together,” said Adina Hawk, a senior whose cousin, a medic, died serving in Gaza earlier this year.

University of Wisconsin Hillel’s Vigil Commemorated the Past, and Offered Hope for the Future

On the evening of October 7, more than 600 students gathered at Library Hall on the University of Wisconsin campus to mourn the lives lost in Israel and to advocate for the hostages still in captivity. The vigil, organized by UW Hillel, included speakers from Hillel and Chabad, as well as community members and a rabbi. 

“As soon as I got up to the podium and looked up, [I was] teary-eyed, completely,” said Erika Klein, a speaker at the event and an intern on the Israel Leadership Council with UW Hillel, in an interview with The Badger Herald. “It was so amazing to see how many people came out.”

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News

Remembrance and Renewal: Honoring Our Memories on Yom Kippur

Author

Rabbi Dan Epstein

Date

October 9, 2024

As we mark the one-year commemoration of October 7th, we also will honor the 1,200 people killed last October when we say Yizkor, a prayer of remembrance, this Yom Kippur. Sadly, last year’s massacre is another tragic moment to be inscribed on the Jewish calendar. 

Memorializing tragic communal events is ingrained in our practice and our liturgy. Some historians believe that the Ashkenazi tradition of saying Yizkor originated to commemorate the victims of the Crusades. Each Jew is a monument to a great family tradition that has survived incredible odds. As Jews, we do not build monuments of stone; rather, we fill our sanctuaries with stories. The Jewish library of history is not a building, but a repository of memory that is organic and human, a living breathing history book. 

This year, Yizkor will not be a recollection of ancient tragedies long past, but a remembrance of a wound that is still open and raw. This tragedy is ongoing, and yet we pause on Yom Kippur to remember the past, reflect on those we have lost, and process collective and individual traumatic events. 

We say Yizkor every year, no matter the situation. Yizkor was recited in the concentration camps during the Holocaust, and when the Cossacks attacked. These moments of pause can become therapeutic at an individual level, and are essential at a communal level to keep people connected.  

Yizkor is related to the word “zachor” — both share a root meaning “to remember.” Rabbi Jonathan Sacks points out that the Hebrew language has no word for “history.” It had to borrow one. In fact, the Torah never says to study history — instead, it tells us to remember.

History is written in books, but we are each the repositories of Jewish memory.

Rabbi Sacks explains further: 

“There is a profound difference between history and memory. History is “his” story — an event that happened somewhere else to someone else. Memory is “my” story — something that happened to me and is part of who I am. History is information. Memory, by contrast, is part of identity. I can study the history of other peoples, cultures, and civilizations. They deepen my knowledge and broaden my horizons. But they do not make a claim on me.”

Our memory and our personal experiences over the past year are sanctified in the Yizkor service. This balance of personal and communal mourning in the Yizkor service mirrors the experience that is especially relevant this year, as we are remembering and mourning so many people who were close to us while recognizing that each of our individual stories make up the collective whole. 

The Torah constantly tells us to remember many things. This Yizkor, we will remember those we lost, and in some way, keep them alive by keeping their memories alive. 

As we enter Yom Kippur this year, in light of those we lost so tragically, Yizkor gives us the opportunity to tell the story of what happened to us personally and process it, and to honor and remember those who we lost. Amid ongoing tragedy, we must also reflect on what we have experienced. 

I encourage everyone, before the Yizkor service, on Erev Yom Kippur, to write down your own personal recollections of October 7th and its aftermath.  Write down what you remember, and your emotions, your questions, and your hopes. Keep these reflections for yourself as a physical symbol of your memory from this past year. Keep these writings for future generations.

Yizkor teaches us that it is our memories which are holy and sacred, and it is in these memories that our loved ones live on. 

Daniel Epstein is the Rabbi at George Washington University Hillel where he has worked for the past eight years. When he is not on campus he spends time with his wife Odelia and his three kids Emmett, Emunah, and Ahavaha. He also runs the website cloudyeshivah.com in his free time. 

Remembrance and Renewal is a series of reflections around the High Holidays and the first commemoration of October 7 from Hillel educators across North America. Read Rabbi Jessica Lott’s thoughts on entering a new year with old grief and Judith Dworkin’s words on remembering people we have lost through the words of the kaddish prayer.

The post Remembrance and Renewal: Honoring Our Memories on Yom Kippur appeared first on Hillel International.

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Remembrance and Renewal: Navigating Grief Through Prayer

Author

Judith Moses Dworkin

Date

October 5, 2024

On the one-year commemoration of October 7, we reflect on profound loss and take comfort in what we can learn from our Jewish tradition of mourning. The Kaddish, a foundational prayer recited in memory of loved ones, offers a framework for understanding how Jewish mourning rituals provide space not only for grief, but also for resilience, continuity, and the continuation of the human spirit in the face of deep sorrow.

The Structure of Kaddish: A Prayer of Praise Amid Sorrow

While the Kaddish is a prayer said at times of mourning, it is also a statement about life and understanding G-d. The prayer begins with “Yitgadal v’yitkadash sh’mei rabba” — “May G-d’s great name be magnified and sanctified.” In commemorating the tragic events of October 7, this first sentence emphasizes that even amid great sorrow, Jewish tradition calls for a reaffirmation of faith and belief that life will give us hope for better times. 

This belief, despite the darkness that surrounds us, is a reminder of the resilience of the Jewish people. On the anniversary of October 7, reciting or reflecting on the Kaddish symbolizes our determination to find strength in faith, and to recall the source of support that exists around us even when we are grappling with trauma and loss.

“B’alma di-v’ra khirutei” — A Vision of Peace in a Broken World

The Kaddish states “which God created according to Their divine,” which implies that everything is part of creation, even the times that are terrible and difficult to understand. This line of Kaddish offers a subtle hope: Even in a world that contains incomprehensible tragedy, there also exist ways we can come together to support each other, and try to hold each other’s pain. 

We honor those who were lost or harmed on October 7 and its aftermath, and work on repairing the world in a way that reflects our beliefs and values. Reciting and reflecting on the Kaddish can remind us that we are not powerless, and we hold the tools to emerge from this tragedy less broken than before. 

Community in Mourning: The Kaddish as a Shared Act

Reciting the Kaddish is an act of community, as it needs a gathering of at least 10 people to recite the prayer. On the one-year anniversary of October 7, in our community gatherings, we will remember, reflect, and grieve together in the same spirit. The shared experience of reciting Kaddish can help us heal, and affirms that while we may think we are suffering alone, in reality, it is something that we all bear together. 

A Call for Healing and Renewal

Toward the end of the Kaddish, the prayer asks for “peace from heaven” (Y’hei shlama raba min-sh’maya), and for peace to reign over us all. These words reflect a yearning for the end of suffering, and illustrate a comfort that we yearn for. On October 7, as we come together to remember, we think of the Kaddish to re-center our desire for peace across all our communities as we make our way through a new year.  

Elevating Memory through Kaddish

On the one-year anniversary of October 7, the Kaddish serves as a poignant framework for remembrance, healing, and resilience. It sends a powerful message that even in the face of the unspeakable, we are called to sanctify life, to come together in community, and to look toward a future where we will stand strong and keep moving forward. The prayer’s timeless message of praise, hope, and unity offers profound meaning, as we honor the past and seek a path forward together.

Judith Moses Dworkin is the Senior Vice President of Campus Life and Advocacy at Hillel Ontario. Originally from Toronto, Judith has also worked at Hillels in North Carolina and Michigan.

Remembrance and Renewal is a series of reflections around the High Holidays and the first commemoration of October 7 from Hillel rabbis across North America.

The post Remembrance and Renewal: Navigating Grief Through Prayer appeared first on Hillel International.

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Every Day Since: Bring My Family Home

Author

Ron Tsur

Date

October 5, 2024

The following article contains discussions of traumatic events, including the October 7th attacks, which may be difficult for some readers.

On October 7, 2023, my cousins Ofer, Sahar, and Erez Calderon were kidnapped and taken hostage in Gaza. For 52 excruciating days, they endured unimaginable conditions — deprived of adequate food, water, and even oxygen — before Erez and Sahar were finally returned to Israel as part of a hostage exchange deal with Hamas. Ofer Calderon, the father of Erez and Sahar, remains in captivity. Almost a year into his abduction, we’ve received few details regarding his mental or physical condition or even confirmation of whether he is still alive. 

While I was born in Israel and much of my family still lives there, I moved to the United States at a young age. I’m now a senior in college, studying business management with a minor in film studies. I always knew I wanted to do something out of the ordinary, but I could never have imagined how much my life would change after October 7.

That morning, I woke up thinking that it would be like any other Saturday, and I was preparing for a football tailgate when my friends and I started hearing that something bad was happening in Israel. At the time, no one really knew what was happening, and even my friends and family in Israel didn’t understand the full extent of the attack. Since my grandparents live just outside the Gaza Envelope, the border area surrounding Gaza, I spent most of the day texting my parents, checking to make sure my grandparents were okay. As the news poured in, it became clear just how horrific the situation was. 

The only thing that made sense in that moment was to lean on my Israel Fellow and my Jewish community on campus, which would become increasingly more important to me in the coming days. I became involved with Hillel, hosting events for students to connect and process the trauma of what had happened with each other. We focused on what we could control: spreading the word about the brutal events of October 7, and keeping attention on the hostages. As the weeks passed, I immersed myself in advocating for the hostages and their families, trying to find a balance between midterms, activism, and being a college student.

I witnessed the situation on campus for Jewish and Israeli students deteriorating. My college administrators have been supportive, but it’s still scary to hold an Israeli flag or wear a Magen David in public. I often ask myself when it will be safe and normal to be Jewish on campus again. And at the same time, how do we ensure that what happened on October 7 doesn’t get erased from the world’s memory?

More than anything, the hostages and their families deserve the world’s attention, especially as we mark a year of their captivity. Words cannot fully convey the heartbreak I’ve felt over the last 12 months. Yet my suffering pales in comparison to the horrors experienced by so many others that day. My cousins are back, but as they’ve said, they haven’t really been released. Not as long as their dad is still there.

Ron Tsur (Class of 2025) is a student at the University of Georgia, and a member of Hillel International’s Content Creators Forum .

Every Day Since is a series of original stories about the impact of October 7 on Jewish students and professionals on campus. Learn more about Eyal, a Jewish Agency Israel Fellow who came to the United States to connect with Jewish college students, and about Abi Schcolnik, an international student and co-chair of Hillel International’s student cabinet, who is working to combat antisemitism on campus following October 7.

The post Every Day Since: Bring My Family Home appeared first on Hillel International.

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Every Day Since: Engu’s Journey to Safeguard Israel Through Education

Author

Hillel International

Date

October 5, 2024

The following article contains discussions of traumatic events, including the October 7th attacks, which may be difficult for some readers.

For Engu, life in Israel was the fulfillment of a dream. Born in Ethiopia, she was only five years old when her family emigrated to Israel, carrying with them the hopes of generations who yearned for a Jewish homeland. However, in the wake of the October 7th attacks, Engu — who had built a thriving career at the Israeli Ministry of Finance — left everything behind to become a Jewish Agency Israel Fellow, determined to ensure her family’s dream survives.

That fateful Shabbat morning, Engu woke up to the sound of sirens. She is part of a large, close-knit family, and she was spending Shabbat at her family’s apartment in Rishon L’Tzion, with her mother, sister, niece, and nephew. The sense of calm that had filled the home the night before quickly evaporated as the sounds of rockets echoed through the sky.

“There was no mamad [bomb shelter] in the apartment,” she recalled. “We grabbed the children and ran to the stairwell, hoping it would be over after the first siren. But the sirens kept coming — every two seconds.”

Clutching her niece and nephew in her arms, Engu prayed that they would be safe, that she would be able to return the children to their parents unharmed. Since it was Shabbat, their phones were off and they had no idea what was happening. Finally, her sister checked the news, and they came to understand the full extent of what they were living through: Hamas militants had broken through Israel’s borders, and a wave of terror was unfolding in real time.

By the end of the day, Israeli soldiers were being called up to serve, and the weight of the tragedy began to sink in. “How do you just go back to work after something like that?” Engu asked. For the next few months, she continued her role working on economic policy at the Ministry of Finance, balancing the logistical demands of keeping the economy running with the emotional toll of the ongoing crisis. 

“It was the busiest and most painful time of my life,” she said. “I felt like I had two jobs — managing my work and holding my team together emotionally.”

But as the months passed and her colleagues returned from reserve duty, Engu realized that something had shifted within her. She began to immerse herself in survivor testimonials, photographs, and videos from the attacks. “I cried all the time,” she admitted. “I couldn’t understand how people around the world were blaming Israel for what had happened.”

It was in this moment of grief and confusion that Engu knew she had to take action.

Scrolling through Facebook one day, Engu stumbled upon a post from the Jewish Agency advertising a position as an Israel Fellow. It struck a chord. “I knew that sharing Israel’s history and culture with students abroad was what I needed to do,” she said. Engu felt that as an Israel Fellow she would have the opportunity to tell Israel’s story and combat the misinformation and hatred towards Israel that she was reading about online.

Yet leaving her job was no easy decision. Her family, who had always supported her career, struggled to understand her choice. “There was this expectation for me to stay, to work, and to settle down,” Engu explained. 

But for Engu, the decision was deeply personal. Her family’s dream had always been to reach Jerusalem, to build a life in Israel. “If Israel goes away, then that dream goes with it,” she said. “I couldn’t let that happen. I had to go where I could use my voice to speak up for Israel.”

Now, Engu serves as an Israel Fellow on a university campus in the United States, teaching students about Israel in an increasingly hostile environment. The work isn’t easy. 

“Things were challenging right at the beginning,” she explained, recalling the pro-Palestinian demonstrations that greeted students at the start of the academic year. “It was the first thing the first-year students saw when they arrived.”

Engu finds the ongoing grief of her work to be the most challenging part of her role. “Whenever something happens in Israel, I feel alone in my own mourning,” she said. While her students and colleagues participate in vigils and share moments of solidarity, Engu carries the weight of these tragedies long after the events have ended.

Despite the challenges, Engu remains hopeful. “I am here to understand the students and their feelings, and to make an impact in my own way. I have faith that it will happen,” she said.

As Israel faces mounting challenges, Engu’s determination to protect the dream her family carried with them from Ethiopia burns brighter than ever. She knows the road ahead will be difficult, but for her, it’s the most important work she could be doing.

Every Day Since is a series of original stories about the impact of October 7 on Jewish students and professionals on campus. Learn more about Eyal, a Jewish Agency Israel Fellow who came to the United States to connect with Jewish college students, and about Abi Schcolnik, an international student and co-chair of Hillel International’s student cabinet, who is working to combat antisemitism on campus following October 7.

The post Every Day Since: Engu’s Journey to Safeguard Israel Through Education appeared first on Hillel International.

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Remembrance and Renewal: Entering a New Year with Grief

Author

Rabbi Jessica Lott

Date

October 1, 2024

Hayom Harat Olam. Today, the world was born. 

We, as a Jewish people, spend a lot of time marking important dates and holding on to them throughout time. We remember the day we received Torah at Mt. Sinai, and we make it the sacred festival day of Shavuot. We remember the day we left Egypt, and celebrate it as the festival of Pesach, telling the story to our children as though it happened to us. We celebrate new beginnings with songs, feasts, and stories, gathering family, friends, and guests to share our joy as widely as we can. On Rosh Hashanah, we celebrate the day the universe began. We say Hayom Harat Olam. Today, the world was born. 

We also mark endings with solemnity. We remember the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem and mourn each Tisha B’Av, observing practices that position us as mourners. When someone in our family dies, we hold on to that day and say Kaddish on the anniversary for the rest of our lives. As Jon Polin, father of hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin z”l, said so poignantly, “In our Jewish tradition, we say: Kol adam olam umlo’o; every person is an entire universe. We must save all these universes.” As we celebrate the day the universe began, we also feel pain and loss in the depth of our souls for the many, many universes that have ended over the last year.

On the secular New Year, many people set resolutions, articulating goals and promises for the year to come. Rosh Hashanah, on the other hand, calls on us to look back and reckon with our own actions and intentions in the year that is concluding. We reflect on just what kind of person we have been. We are not asked to predict or envision, let alone to control, where the year ahead will go. Instead, we are challenged to surrender to the inevitability of whatever the future holds. What is done is done. What will be will be.

As I do this seasonal work of looking back on the last year, I find it hard to make it all the way to last year’s Rosh Hashanah. I get stuck on October 7. And the journey back to last October in my heart and soul is thick and murky. It is full of tears shed and fears come to reality. As I look back, I see college students at their best and at their worst: living out their values and casting them aside, building strong relationships and having friendships fall apart. I see myself and my fellow Hillel professionals feeling like we are in over our heads and holding our heads high. I see rabbis and Jewish community leaders guiding their communities through uncharted waters and calling on the richness of our tradition and experience to show them the way.

On this Rosh Hashanah 5785, we celebrate the birthday of the world, and we acknowledge that we are living in a changed world. We experience the rituals with different spirits. We hear the words of the liturgy (the prayers we say) and the lectionary (the Torah and prophetic readings) with changed ears. When we read about Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son, Isaac, we think of the senseless killings of parents in front of their children and children in front of their parents, and of people sending their loved ones off to war. When we pray “who shall live and who shall die?” we feel it too acutely. When we hear shevarim, the shofar’s broken cry, we sob along with it, and when we hear tekiah gedolah, the longest blast of the shofar, its plaintive cry reminds us that we have within ourselves the strength, resilience, determination, and, yes the simple breath, that will carry us further and longer than we would have ever thought possible.

Jessica Lott is the Campus Rabbi at Northwestern Hillel. She has worked in the Hillel world since 2008, both on campus and at Hillel International, specializing in Jewish education, student engagement, student wellbeing, professional development and curriculum development.

Remembrance and Renewal is a series of reflections around the High Holidays and the first commemoration of October 7 from Hillel rabbis across North America.

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Every Day Since: Life on Campus Since October 7

Author

Abi Schcolnik

Date

October 1, 2024

October 7, 2023 will forever be etched in my memory. That morning, I woke up next to my mom, who was visiting for Parents’ Weekend at the University of Miami, and we watched as the shocking and heart-wrenching news from Israel unfolded. That day changed the lives of Israelis and Jewish people around the world, including mine. 

In the months that followed, the feelings I experienced most often were frustration and helplessness. I grappled with the question of how I could contribute meaningfully on campus during a moment that felt so fraught with tension and disagreement. I am proud of my heritage, and felt a responsibility to help combat ignorance and promote understanding about Judaism and the Jewish people, particularly as waves of misinformation and hate directed at Jewish students ripped through my campus. 

I began to talk with my friends, sharing my perspective about the importance of being open to the complexities of the situation unfolding in the Middle East. I said over and over that Israel’s actions were not driven by a desire for war, but instead were a response to the horrific massacre of that October morning. By initiating conversations and creating spaces for dialogue, I hoped to build a climate of empathy and learning in my community, while prioritizing our shared humanity 

Despite this desire to build bridges, I have encountered antisemitism at times, in the form of subtle comments and dismissive conversations. These interactions have left a mark on me, and caused me to question my identity and beliefs. I am still hurting from an exchange I had with a student in my dorm who refused to accept my help, simply because I displayed an Israeli flag and a mezuzah on my door. During some moments, I felt as if the entire world was against me. It’s been exhausting and isolating to be a Jewish college student. 

The tensions of the last year also caused the painful fracturing of some friendships, which ended because of my Jewish identity and the differing beliefs we held. As I became more vocal about the realities facing the Jewish community, I discovered that not everyone was willing to engage in open and meaningful dialogue. In fact, some friends chose to distance themselves, leaving me to navigate this painful year alone.

But as we approach the one-year commemoration of October 7, I’m reflecting on the friends and the community who have stood by my side as I continue to speak up. I have learned to recognize true friendship when I find it, and lean on the relationships and communities that share my values and bring me joy. Throughout a year of anger and loss, the people who have been willing to sit down and talk, celebrate each other’s heritage, and prioritize empathy over ignorance are the ones who I believe will dismantle the barriers that divide us. May the coming year be one of understanding, resilience, and community. 

Abigail Schcolnik is an international student at the University of Miami and serves as the co-chair of Hillel International’s student cabinet.  

Every Day Since is a series of original stories about the impact of October 7 on Jewish students and professionals on campus. Read the first part in the series about Eyal, a Jewish Agency Israel Fellow who came to the United States to connect with Jewish college students, but faced unexpected challenges and antisemitism in the wake of October 7.

The post Every Day Since: Life on Campus Since October 7 appeared first on Hillel International.

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Take Care of Yourself: Emotional Preparation For October 7

Author

Hagar Ben-Eliezer

Date

October 1, 2024

Managing stress in the context of trauma, especially around significant anniversaries like marking one year since Hamas’s attack on Israel, can be particularly challenging. The emotional weight of such occasions can amplify stress, anxiety, fear, and flashbacks to anti-Israel protests on campus. For many Jewish students, October 7 will be filled with sadness, and for some, it may be too painful to remember. 

Wherever you are emotionally is okay. There is no one right way to feel. Here are some suggestions for managing and caring for your mental health as we approach October 7.

1. Your feelings are normal and okay

It’s normal to experience a range of emotions, such as sadness, anger, or anxiety around significant anniversaries. Suppressing these feelings or trying to “push through” without addressing them can lead to increased stress and burnout. Give yourself permission to feel and express your emotions in a healthy way. Consider talking to a trusted friend, writing in a journal, or engaging in safe community activities at Hillel or elsewhere on campus that offer space to express your emotions.

2. Rely on your support system, and identify safe places

A reliable support system is crucial in managing stress. Keep a mental or written “In Case of Emergency” list of people and places you know are safe and support your emotional well-being. It’s important to spend time with people and in places that calm your nervous system, not rile it up. Reach out to campus counseling services or call 911 if you are in crisis. This is a form of self-care that makes you an advocate for your own mental health.

3. Lower your stress levels

Using stress-reduction techniques can help mitigate the impact of stress, sleeplessness, or depression. Mindfulness meditation, deep breathing exercises, or progressive muscle relaxation can lower stress levels and promote emotional balance. Apps like InsightTimer give you access to over 20,000 free guided mindfulness practices. Regular physical movement, such as yoga or jogging, is another effective way to reduce stress and improve mental well-being. YogawithAdriene is a free online program, offering classes to those at all levels. Other activities might include taking a walk in a nearby park, and getting the added well-being benefits that come with being in nature. Exercise releases endorphins, which are natural mood lifters, and can help you manage both physical and emotional stress.

4. Embrace your routine and set boundaries

Maintaining a structured routine can provide a sense of normalcy and control, which is often disrupted during periods of stress. Create a balanced schedule that includes time for studying, self-care, and social activities. Setting boundaries is equally important; it’s okay to say no to additional responsibilities or social commitments if you need time to focus on your well-being. Prioritize tasks and break them into manageable chunks to prevent feeling overwhelmed. Effective time management can help reduce stress and increase productivity.

5. Take care of you: self-care and healthy habits

Self-care is essential for managing stress and supporting mental health. Engaging in activities that you enjoy and that bring you relaxation — such as reading, listening to music, or spending time in nature — can also provide relief from stress. Healthy habits including getting adequate sleep, eating nutritious meals, staying hydrated, and making time for friends are all effective mood lifters. What is one thing you did today, or could you do, to refill your emotional cup? Make your self-care a regular part of your routine everyday.

6. You are your best advocate

Don’t wait until you are in crisis to get help. If you are having trouble attending classes, you’re not returning your friend’s texts, or you’re avoiding leaving your apartment or dorm room, it’s time to take action. Reach out to your Hillel wellness professional or counselor on campus. Communicate with your professors and advocate for extensions on assignments. Be honest and open with your family if you can. Everyone experiences times that are challenging and emotionally difficult, but if you take action, you can preserve the work you have done and get supported on your journey back to wellness. 

7. Be patient with yourself

Finally, be patient and compassionate with yourself. Managing difficult emotions and experiences is a process that takes time. It’s okay to have good days and bad days, and progress may come in small, incremental steps. Know that your Hillel community is here for you in whatever way you need. Breathe, be kind to yourself, and acknowledge that this is a temporary challenging period. Remember the sadness, loss, and continued pain of October 7 while finding strength in your resilience and comfort in the communities that embrace you.

Hagar Ben-Eliezer is a board certified Jewish Chaplain and therapist. She is in her fourth year as the wellness therapist at Berkeley Hillel. Hagar works with Hillel students on campus and internationally on Hillel Birthright trips. Hagar enjoys working with young adults and providing resources for their spiritual and emotional well-being. 

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

The post Take Care of Yourself: Emotional Preparation For October 7 appeared first on Hillel International.

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Every Day Since: Jewish Agency Israel Fellow Finds Purpose Amid Tragedy

Author

Hillel International

Date

September 30, 2024

Eyal, who was born and raised in Tel Aviv, always knew he wanted to make an impact abroad. He spent time traveling through South America, studying Government, Diplomacy, and Strategy at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), and working with students from all over the world through Masa, an immersive international experience in Israel for Jewish young adults.  When Eyal moved to the United States in the summer of 2023 to become a Jewish Agency Israel Fellow, he took another step forward in his desire to connect with the Jewish community outside of Israel and share his love for his country. 

But on October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists murdered nearly 1,200 people in Israel and abducted 251 others, that plan took a harrowing turn.

“Campus changed drastically after 10/7,” Eyal said. It had only been a week since classes started, and students had attended welcome events like Sushi in the Sukkah. That newfound sense of building campus community evaporated in the wake of the brutal attack,  as many Jewish students on Eyal’s campus suddenly felt unsafe.

For Eyal, the trauma was also deeply personal—his longtime friend, Ilan Moshe-Yaakov, was killed during the Nova Music Festival massacre.

“I found out three days later that Ilan had been killed at Nova. It was impossible to process, so I threw myself into the work of supporting the students on campus,” Eyal said.

Ilan’s death shook Eyal, but the emotional toll didn’t end there. Almost immediately, he found himself grappling with a wave of anti-Israel and antisemitic hostility on his campus. The university environment, which he had anticipated would be challenging yet intellectually stimulating, quickly became toxic for Jewish students.

“It’s different than what I expected,” Eyal admitted. “I knew campus life would be political and that not everyone would agree with me, but I didn’t anticipate the hatred that exploded after October 7.”

Eyal recounted stories of students on his campus facing harassment for being Jewish. 

“One student was told by her suitemates that, because she was a Zionist, she couldn’t live with them anymore,” he said. Another student, wearing a Magen David, was told, “F [sic] you, we will kill all the Jews.” Yet another student received multiple anonymous and hate-filled calls.  And a Jewish student was spit on during a tabling event for Hillel.

“It’s bad, but it’s not the majority of students,” Eyal added. “The students who are anti-Israel are loud, and they make the campus feel unsafe. When you see thousands of people chanting ‘intifada,’ it’s impossible not to feel the hostility. These people aren’t interested in dialogue.”

Despite the antagonistic climate, Eyal remains inspired by the strength and unity of the Jewish community on campus. He’s especially proud of his students, who have stood their ground in the face of adversity.

“What’s kept me hopeful are my students,” Eyal said. “They’ve been incredible. Their initiative, their support for one another, and their determination to stand strong inspire me every single day.”

In fact, the students have come together like never before, creating a network of support that has helped them endure challenges and harassment.

“They’re doing a great job, and I’m so proud of them,” Eyal said. “We’re planning a series of events to commemorate October 7. It’s about remembering the difficult moments, but it’s also about lifting people up and reminding them that hope is how we move forward.”

One of the events Eyal is helping organize is a vigil on campus, followed by a group trip to the local JCC for a community commemoration. The students will share their experiences from campus and remember the victims of October 7, including Carmel Gat, in whose honor they’ll hold yoga practices the following day.

“We’re also tabling, handing out cards with the stories of those lost. It’s important to bring a human face to what’s happening, to remind people that these are not just numbers—they are lives, families, and communities torn apart,” he said.

Through all the tragedy and the tough conversations, Eyal’s decision to remain in the United States this past year wasn’t a given. Many of his friends back home have been called into miluim, Israel’s reserve duty, and the choice to stay or return right after October 7 was something he grappled with.

“It was a very tough decision,” Eyal said. “Part of me feels like I should be there, but I know that being here, working with these students, is also important, and I will return to Israel when I’m needed there.”

Every Day Since is a series of original stories about the impact of October 7 on Jewish students and professionals on campus.

The post Every Day Since: Jewish Agency Israel Fellow Finds Purpose Amid Tragedy appeared first on Hillel International.