In less than two months, Jewish Federations across the United States and Canada will bring together Jewish communities, civic leaders, and allies to mark the one-year anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel.
In the weeks immediately following the horrific attacks on October 7th, Jewish Federations led 160 solidarity gatherings. And now, as the first anniversary of that day approaches, we will come together to commemorate the lives we lost, honor the heroes who inspired us, pray for the hostages who remain in our hearts, counter anti-Israel myths and biases, and express gratitude for our community’s overwhelming response in Israel’s hour of need
Many of these events will be run in close partnership with other local and national organizations to broadly reach and bring together the full Jewish community.
Collectively, these events will fall under the banner of “October 7th: Marking One Year.”
“This is a moment when the Jewish people need community more than ever to reaffirm our sense of self, to create a space for belonging, and to be unified in our fight against the forces of antisemitism and delegitimization,” said Jewish Federations Executive Vice President Shira Hutt.
“Community-wide gatherings marking one year since October 7, 2023, will be an important opportunity to unite the Jewish community and its allies, reflect on the year we have been through, reaffirm our unwavering solidarity with Israel, and reiterate our commitment to combating antisemitism across North America,” she added.
To support this effort, Jewish Federations of North America have launched a suite of resources, including a new interactive website – MarkingOctober7.org – to help people find events in their community and explore additional ways to volunteer and get involved as we commemorate this somber day.
We are grateful to partner with a group of foundations who have created a microgrant fund to encourage and enhance community and campus gatherings:
- Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies
- The Jane and Daniel Och Family Foundation
- Jim Joseph Foundation
- Kirsh Foundation
- Maimonides Fund
- Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
- The Paul E. Singer Foundation
- The Russell Berrie Foundation
Microgrant applications of up to $10,000 for community and campus events are available on the website. Applications are due September 9th.
October 7th was a turning point in modern Jewish history, both because of the tragic depth of that day’s events and the monumental events that have followed. By coming together to pay tribute to the fallen and the heroes, we are expressing our heartfelt solidarity with Israel and its people.
Learn more at: MarkingOctober7.org.