Written by Mira Hasofer, College Principal

We woke on October 7, 2024, wishing for the day to end. The weight of the events a year earlier, and everything that has followed, felt unbearable. As we moved through the day, we found ourselves checking in on friends and family in Israel, posting messages of solidarity, and staying connected to the news. Though physically distant from Israel, we remained emotionally and spiritually close.

That evening, our community gathered, 12,000 strong, in a powerful show of resilience and unity. Together, we showed our unwavering commitment to our people, our land, and the State of Israel.

Yesterday, on our first day back for Term 4, we held our own October 7 commemoration on campus. We honoured the memory of those who lost their lives on October 7 and over the past year in terror attacks and in defense of the State of Israel. We prayed for the full recovery of the wounded, for the protection of every soldier fighting for our people and for the safe return of the hostages. 

There are moments from this commemoration that will stay with me for years to come, and I extend my heartfelt thanks to every educator and member of the EDJE team for working with our students over the holidays to create this powerful tribute. From the heartfelt prayers for Israel to the poetry readings in Hebrew and English by our students, the lighting of the memorial candle by Rafael Cappe, and the personal stories shared by Daniel Mervis and Aaron Buchman, each moment was deeply moving. David Kless’s piano composition, October, and Micah Diamond’s poignant performance of Ani Atalef, a song composed by fallen soldier Saul Greenglick, brought a stillness to the room.

Willow Lang and Micah Diamond, together with 14 students, choreographed and performed a powerful dance to October Rain. Dressed in flowing white, they moved with grace, embodying a message of hope, strength, and resilience. Through their performance, they reminded us that even in our darkest moments, we find the courage to heal.

As the commemoration continued, our students participated in the Simchat Torah Project, a global initiative to honour the memory of the 1,200 lives lost on October 7 and those who have perished since. We dressed our Torah in a new me’il (Torah cover), dedicated to the fallen, the soldiers, and the hostages. Rabbi Krebs reminded us of King Solomon’s words from Kohelet: “There is a time for everything under the heavens, a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” As our student leaders carried the Torah through The Moshe Triguboff Auditorium, the students held both emotions in their hearts—a time to mourn and a time to dance.

Mrs Wiseman spoke about supporting the new Hadassah Rehabilitation Centre in Jerusalem. Thank you to every student who is involved in this partnership with the Australian Friends of Hadassah, helping to bring high-care beds to the Centre so the severely wounded can begin their recovery. 

This spiritually significant time on the Jewish calendar, between Yom Kippur and Simchat Torah, reminds us that it is possible to hold both grief and hope, reflection and celebration, in our hearts at the same time. May we be blessed with the strength to carry both, and may renewal and peace follow our struggles.

We invite you to view a short snapshot of our special commemoration. Please take the time to experience the power of this very special commemoration.