Today, October 7th, we remember what happened on this day last year. There are ceremonies scheduled throughout the country all day that will tell the stories, remember the fallen and injured, and keep the 101 hostages still in Gaza in the forefront of our minds.
It was a complex process to decide how to appropriately mark this painful day, and as a result, there are two main national ceremonies as well as many other local ones.
There are some creative approaches to remembering and processing. The Jerusalem Post left the first page completely blank except for “October 7, 2023 One year on, words still fail to capture this day.” On Israeli Channel Kan 11, they started the day broadcasting from several locations of the massacre one year ago today (with sounds of the IDF operating in Northern Gaza). During the early morning broadcast, sirens were sounded in Northern Israel due to Hezbollah attacks on Israel as well as in Southern Israel (which have become much less common over the year) with Hamas still trying to show they exist in Gaza.
Meanwhile, there is alot of optimism in Israel with the great acheivements of the IDF uprooting Hamas and Hezbollah after the last year, and the remarkable, even miraculous, way in which IDF and Israel’s partners defended Israel against two aggressive Iranian attacks. The IDF has increased forces in the ground invasion in Lebanon with the goal of clearing Southern Lebanon from terror infrastructure and terrorists. There is hope of a positive change in the region.
Here are the plans for ceremonies and events today:
The ceremony organized by bereaved families will take place at 19:10, broadcast on television channels, and shown at gathering points throughout the country. The pre-recorded state ceremony, without an audience, will air on Monday at 21:15. At the same time, urban and community ceremonies will also be held.
Israel marks the first anniversary of October 7 today (Monday) and yesterday, reflecting on the events of that day. Additional commemorations will take place around the Hebrew calendar date of 24 Tishrei, which falls on October 27, two days after Simchat Torah.
Watch this IDF video created for this day, Flashbacks from October 7
