Am Yisrael Chai!

A personal reflection:

A personal reflection: Last night, October 6, 2026, our community gathered for a meaningful observance on the eve of the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023 massacre, perpetrated by Hamas terrorists from Gaza against communities throughout Israel’s Gaza Envelope.

We viewed the documentary The Last Stand: The Battle at the Sderot Police Station, which chronicles the harrowing events of October 7, 2023, when dozens of Hamas terrorists attacked and besieged the Sderot police station.

The film recounts the battle at the Sderot police station on October 7, 2023.... Through personal accounts, emergency transmissions, and footage from local residents, the film recounts the intense 20-hour battle that ultimately ended with Israeli security forces demolishing the building to stop the remaining terrorists.

Afterward, we planted Israeli flags outside the entrance to our JCC to honor the memories of those who were murdered that day and all those whose lives remain forever changed.

The sight of those flags brought back the profound sorrow I felt visiting the Supernova Festival site in June 2024.

The photo from last night’s observance combined with a collage of photographs I took at the Supernova Festival site on June 19, 2024—two moments, more than two years apart, connected by remembrance, grief, and resilience.

As we mark October 7, 2026—the third anniversary of that horrific day—may the memories of all who perished on October 7, 2023, and in its aftermath always be for a blessing.

May their memories give us the strength to move forward, as the Jewish people always have and always will.

Am Yisrael Chai! 🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱

Howard S. Feinberg, CEO, HFLA-SA