Community gathered for memorial for Oct. 7 victims, hostages
By ALAN SMASON, Exclusive to the CCJN
Jewish community members and representatives of the larger Greater New Orleans community gathered in a show of strength and solidarity for the State of Israel as they marked the passage of one year since the October 7 atrocities committed by the Hamas terror organization.
On the morning of October 7, 2023, under cover of rocket fire, Hamas launched a series of coordinated attacks, which left more than 1200 Israelis dead, thousands wounded and destroyed hundreds of homes and settlements. The attacks also included the raping and sexual exploitation of women victims and resulted in the abduction of more than 250 Israelis – some dead or dying – into Gaza.
Opening remarks were delivered by Robert French, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, who set the evening’s tone by welcoming everyone and singling out elected officials who were on hand to lend their support. French explained that the program would consist of three parts: the Remembrance of the events of Oct. 7, the Resilience of the Israeli and Jewish people and the Hope for the future.
Keynote speaker Yonathan “Yoni” Diller related the horrible events that occurred at the Nova Music Festival in the early hours of the Simchat Torah holiday. “The events of October 7th at the Nova Music Festival changed my life forever,” Diller told the crowd of more than 700 assembled in the Jefferson Performing Arts Center.
“The trauma I experienced is indescribable and, yet, I am here alive and speaking to you because I believe there is something we can all learn from these events,” Diller continued. “I am not sharing this to shock you nor to ask for sympathy. Instead, my purpose is to reflect on what we can take from these dark moments in history.”
Diller recounted his personal flight from the festival grounds in which he narrowly escaped death by hiding in bushes and then walking five hours in the desert along with others until help could be found. He said he still suffers from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after having witnessed the carnage of that black day.
In addition to giving his own account, Diller emphasized that he and all of his fellow Israelis are hoping for the release of the remaining 101 hostages. “We also hold hope in our hearts that the innocent hostages taken into the dark bowels of Hamas will return safely to their homes,” Diller emphasized. “We will not rest until they are back home and raised by love and the freedom they deserve.”
Diller also noted the worldwide spike in incidents of antisemitism since Oct. 7. “Today antisemitism has taken on the face of anti-Zionism, but the difference is clear: it is not just hatred of Jews, but hatred of our homeland and our right to exist,” Diller said. He also took exception with those who are protesting the State of Israel and using terms like “apartheid” and “genocide” to describe the government and its policies.
Tulane students Bali Lavine and Ohad Tessler addressed those issues and talked specifically about how they have opposed misinformation from outside agitators and other Tulane and Loyola students on campus. As leaders of the Tulane Jewish student community, the two noted several instances since October 7 where they have joined with the New Orleans Jewish community to stand with Israel.
The anti-Israel movement resulted in several protests on both the Tulane and Loyola campuses and culminated with a major encampment on the Tulane campus last spring that was forcibly dismantled after several days by combined forces from the Tulane Police Department, the New Orleans Police Department and the Louisiana State Police.
Earlier in the evening, Livia Link-Raviv, the Consul General of Israel to the Southwest United States, addressed the crowd. “Growing up, I read about pogroms and mass murders that my people have endured throughout centuries,” she said. “I listened to my grandparents rare and precious stories about the Holocaust, yet I never imagined I would witness such atrocities in our own land today.”
As a member of the diplomatic corps, Link-Raviv said she was not prepared for the past year. “Our lives turned upside down overnight imposing on us an immediate state of emergency, professionally, personally and mentally,” she said. “I found myself representing Israel in an insensitive and inflammable time with slander, distortion and lies.”
Link-Raviv listed all of the multiple fronts Israel is fighting at present: “Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah from Lebanon, uprisings and terror attacks in the West Bank, the Houthis from Yemen, the Shia militia from Iraq and, of course, the head of the snake, Iran, which not only directly attacks Israel, but also funds and orchestrates all these terrorist proxies.”
She also added that she is proud and humbled by the support Israel has received worldwide from Jewish communities. “The war is not over,” she noted. “The price has been extremely high, but our pledge remains stronger than ever: we will prevail!”
Following a commemoration film of the events of October 7, provided by the Jewish Federations of North America, student Asaf Friedler read a poem by Chava Alberstein about the attacks titled “Early, Early in the Morning.” The New Orleans Jewish Clergy Council, led by Temple Sinai Rabbi Daniel Sherman, then joined with the audience in reciting Kaddish, the traditional mourning prayer.
Two sets of students performed at the event. The Slater Torah Academy students sang “Am Yisrael Chai” to kick off the program, while students from the Jewish Community Day School sang “Ha’tishma Koli,” a plea for solidarity and blessing.
Alix Paige rendered an extraordinary vocal of “October Rain,” written by Eden Golan. A student, Tally F., read “Your Faces,” a poem written on the 123rd day of the war by Batsheva Dori-Carlier about the hostages being held by Hamas.
The Rev. Wendell Shelby-Wallace of the Philos Project delivered an emotional and impactful speech in which he assured the Jewish community that their Christian brothers and sisters in the Greater New Orleans community supported them in their ongoing efforts against the enemies and that they are also praying for the return of the remaining hostages.
Cantor Rebecca Garfein of Temple Sinai sang the “Oseh Shalom” traditional prayer for peace accompanied by David Wesson, the Shir Chadash Conservative Congregation’s Coordinator of Education and Musical Engagement.
The event ended with student Luke Prest singing “Hatikvah,” the national anthem of Israel.
Commemorative metallic yellow ribbon pins were distributed to the crowd as a solidarity measure to remember the 101 hostages still being held in Gaza.
Photographic images recalling the events of October 7 were on display in the JPAC foyer and renderings of the faces of the remaining 101 hostages were also showcased on easels attendees saw at the entrances of the auditorium.
Here are photos from the event: