Marking the Moment
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HOW DO YOU MARK A MOMENT WHEN THAT MOMENT IS STILL UNFOLDING?
As the anniversary of the devastating October 7 massacres approaches, Israel remains enmeshed in what has become its longest war. Hostages and IDF soldiers continue to die with unnerving frequency; Hamas continues to hold living hostages and the bodies of those who have been killed in captivity; tens of thousands of Israeli civilians are unable to return to their homes in the south and in the north; and the entire country remains on high alert in the face of the threat of regional war.
Even as many in Israel struggle with how to mark the upcoming anniversary of that awful day, educators must consider how to commemorate it respectfully, with educational integrity, and in age-appropriate ways. The iCenter has curated a collection of thoughts, reflections, poems, songs, and art that we hope will inspire you and your learners. We’ve included a page of best practices for building a tekes (ceremony) or display that can be designed by and for your learners.
These resources capture a range of ideas and visions—just a few of the countless ways we can grapple with the challenges of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
RESOURCES INCLUDED IN THIS COMPILATION
Read the thoughts of Israelis as they approach this anniversary
Craft a Learner-Centered Memorial
Explore tools to help learners mark the one-year anniversary
Hear stories of sadness, anger, courage, and possibility
REFLECTIONS
“Every night before I go to sleep, I talk to you and ask for your forgiveness—forgive me that another day has ended and we still haven’t been able to bring you home.”
Shai Elbag, Sister of Hostage Liri Elbag
“We’re glued to our phones. Every ping causes a tiny leap of the heart. Is it news about Omer? About the other hostages? Our phones are never switched off...Being unable to reach him, to speak to him, to comfort him when he needs us the most is a parent’s worst nightmare.”
Ronen and Orna Neutra,
Parents of Hostage Omer Neutra
“Ceremony is impossible. Don’t…just don’t…pretend that we have enough distance from these events to know what they mean. It will take us years, if not decades.”
Allen Selis, Founder of Tech Startup
“When I said goodbye to you, you asked me, Rachel, to take a family photo of you again when Hersh returns. I promised you I would. You insisted with me and told me to believe it, and I told you that I believed in it with all my heart and so it was. I prayed for Hersh’s return in each of my prayers. Rachel, Jon, I’m so sorry I couldn’t keep my promise.”
Avishag Shaar-Yashuv, Photographer
“For us, the date is still October 7 because of the hostages. As long as that issue isn’t resolved, we think we are still on October 7, until we get back our friends who have been kidnapped from the kibbutz on October 7. I think it’s a sentiment that is shared widely in the country but not everybody feels it as strongly as people who have a personal connection.”
Amir Tibon, Kibbutz Nahal Oz
“All that I can do as a writer is to let all of these characters and images in, to let them tell their own untold, incomprehensible story, putting it into words even if these words will not make sense for a very long time, maybe never.”
Tamar Merin, Writer
“What do we call an educator who has lost a student or a graduate from their class or program? Can we call them a bereaved teacher?...A terrible thought crosses my mind every Memorial Day at school: which of my students here will not return from battle, and we will tell “He was…” stories about them. I never imagined that my students and their families would be murdered in their own homes.”
Ira Ben Yehuda,
Teacher at Sha’ar HaNegev High School
HOW TO CRAFT A LEARNER-CENTERED MEMORIAL
As we prepare for the one-year anniversary of the massacres of October 7 and the ensuing war, this brief guide offers suggestions for planning your own tekes, or ceremony, for how to mark this solemn milestone in your educational setting. Using the resources within, we encourage you to explore what this moment in time might mean for your learners. Help them create an experience that will allow them to be fully present as they contemplate the past year and the lasting impact of all that has transpired.
PERSONAL STORIES
Omer Ohana
Sagi Golan and his partner Omer Ohana were going to be married, until the former was tragically killed in action in Be’eri in the early hours of October 8. In the weeks after Sagi’s death, Omer led a successful campaign to legally secure the rights of same-sex and common law partners of fallen soldiers. You can listen to their story here and read more about Sagi here.
Adi Leon
Staff Sergeant Adi Leon was a 20-year-old soldier in the Tzabar Battalion of the Givati Brigade. Before entering Gaza, Adi left a notebook behind with the words “read after my death” written on its cover. Since his passing, Adi’s life and the notebook he left behind have been used to create a collection of resources called “The Lights of Adi” in his memory.
Naamah Levy
Naamah Levy was abducted near the Gaza border. The image of her abduction became a prominent symbol of Hamas’ violence. On the podcast, Unholy: Two Jews on the News, Naama’s mother Ayelet and Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s mother Rachel share what it means to fight relentlessly for the return of their children. You can listen to their stories here and learn more about Naama here. Visit the Tastes Like Home project to see how the recipes of hostages like Naama are being used to spread their stories.
Mohammad Darawshe
Mohammad Darawshe—Director of Strategy at The Center for Shared Society at Givat Haviva—reflects in this thought piece about the importance of working toward unity, in Israel and beyond, during times of extreme division. For more information on Arab Israelis, turn to this FAQ and for more information on the impact of October 7 on Arab Israelis, see this report from the Task Force on Israeli-Arab Issues, which includes information as well as stories of heroism and volunteerism.
Tzvika Mor
Tzvika Mor is from the West Bank settlement of Kiryat Arba. His son, Eitan, was kidnapped from the Nova Festival after spending nine hours heroically evacuating injured party-goers. Tzvika is an outlier among the families of the hostages, as he maintains that the Israeli government should keep on fighting, and reject any offer that includes a ceasefire, even if it comes at the cost of his son’s freedom, perhaps even his life. You can listen to his story on the Israel Story podcast.
Linoy Elezra
Linoy Elezra is a senior Magen David Adom medic. On the morning of October 7, nine-year-old Michael from Kibbutz Kfar Azza called to get help for his parents, but it was already too late. Linoy told him to take his six-year-old sister Amalia and hide. Michael and Amalia were saved thanks to Linoy’s courage. Their little sister Abigail, three years old, was kidnapped to Gaza, but released on November 26, 2023 as part of the week-long truce. Stories like Linoy’s can be found through Women: Heroines of the War.
ART
@avishag_sy
AVISHAG SHAAR-YASHUV
Avishag Shaar-Yashuv is an Israeli photojournalist who has captured some of the most heart-wrenching images of the war. Her photos have appeared in a variety of Israeli and international media, including the New York Times. Her Instagram feed is an up-to-date source of many of her photos. A profile piece of Avishag appeared in ISRAEL21c.
ANU: OCTOBER SEVENTH
Tel Aviv’s ANU museum has been telling the ongoing story of the Jewish people for decades. The new exhibit, “October Seventh,” examines how Israeli artists have responded to the war and how works that were created before October 7 have now been charged with new meaning. ANU has made the exhibit works available to be downloaded, printed, and displayed free of charge.
@shoshke_engelmayer
SHOSHKE ENGLEMEYER
Shoshke Englemeyer is an Israeli artist whose work has been deeply influenced by the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. His most sustained artistic effort since Hamas’ attacks has been the creation of “the daily postcard” which he shares on Facebook and Instagram. A profile of Shoshke Englemeyer appeared on ISRAEL21c.
Artwork by Ira Ginzburg
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Israeli graphic designers are expressing the story of Israel and Israelis through their art. Design Duty: Artists as Activists is an educational resource for using images from the Design Duty website. On Instagram, @atufim.oct.2023 is a collection of illustrations by Israel’s leading artists that came together after October 7.
Artwork by Ira Ginzburg
IRA GINZBURG
Ira Ginzburg has shared a number of powerful and heart-wrenching illustrations over the past year that can serve as inspiration for dialogue and reflection. Her latest collection is Stars in the Sky, an illustrated meditation on balancing trauma and hope. Illustration as Reflection: CityKat Stories speaks to her educational vision as she creates new work. Ira is the artist in residence at The iCenter.
MUSIC
Artwork by Ira Ginzburg
SONG OF HOPE
Even musicians gather strength from other artists’ work. In Beit Avi Chai’s new video series and educational resource package, prominent Israeli singers talk about the music that brings them hope and comfort. Hearing reflections by Jimbo J, Shai Tsabari, and Ester Rada among others, is breathtaking and inspiring.
THE PAIN FRONT
In addition to powerful works of art, the ANU museum’s exhibit, “October Seventh,” includes the playlist “The Pain Front.” According to the curators, “The songs in the soundtrack are familiar songs that the war has charged with new meaning.” They’ve been played, together with other pieces, around Israel since October 7.
Artwork by Ira Ginzburg
SONGS OF COLLECTIVE MEMORY
Since October 7, there have been hundreds of new songs written in Israel. One example is “U’me’poh Nakum,” a song written to be performed by the 14 finalists of the competition, “HaKokhav HaBa La’Erovision” (The Rising Star to Eurovision). Songs of Collective Memory houses the lyrics, videos, and explanations of many Israeli songs.
Artwork by Ira Ginzburg
SOUNDTRACKS FOR OUR TIME
In the wake of October 7 and the ensuing war, Israel has been living with a year of music that cannot escape the shadow of current events. The iCenter has regularly been creating and updating playlists of the songs that are serving as comfort and companions to Israelis during these volatile times.
POETRY
Artwork by Guy Pitchon
RACHEL GOLDBERG-POLIN
Rachel Goldberg-Polin was thrust onto the global stage after her son Hersh was kidnapped by Hamas. She’s worked tirelessly for the return of the hostages, even in the wake of Hersh’s murder. She wrote the poem “One Tiny Seed”—a heart-wrenching call for an end to violence and a peaceful future for people in Israel and Gaza—and delivered it at the UN in Geneva.
Artwork by Revital Ziv
TAL SHAVIT
Tal Shavit was previously the director of the nonprofit Seeds of Peace in Israel, working for over a decade to support efforts towards finding a solution to the conflict in the region. Her poem, “Yom Tov,” expresses the desperate need to be active and help in the wake of October 7, while at the same time battling feelings of exhaustion and anxiety.
Artwork by Ira Ginzburg
AGI MISHOL
Agi Mishol is a beloved Israeli poet who was part of a devastating literary project: writing eulogies for the 100+ members of Kibbutz Be’eri who were murdered on October 7. Early in the war, Agi wrote “Shelter,” a reflection on the importance of poetry during a time of violence. She shared her experiences in a conversation on the Israel Story podcast.
Available on Amazon
NEW POETRY COLLECTION
Shiva: Poems of October 7 is an anthology of 59 new Israeli poems that captures how Israeli society continues to process the events of October 7 and beyond. The collection features new Hebrew works from 36 Israeli poets along with their English translation. Rachel Korazim offers recorded discussions of each of the poems.
Artwork by Ira Ginzburg
IRIS ELIYA COHEN
Iris Eliya Cohen’s poetry blends yearnings and hope for a better present, a strong belief in the power of the human spirit and kindness, and a sense of responsibility for justice. Dreaming of a New Day includes several of her poems along with reflection questions and writing exercises.
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