INTRODUCTION

The events of October 7, 2023 continue to have a profound impact on Jewish communities around the world. The massacres of that day at the Nova music festival and throughout southern Israel totaled over 1200 deaths and marked the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. In addition, over 200 innocent people were taken hostage by Hamas, with many still held captive in Gaza today, and thousands were displaced from their homes. (For more information on the background of the Israel-Hamas war, see here). The months since have seen further civilian and soldier deaths with the ongoing war, as well as severe escalation in the north from Hezbollah, with northern residents of Israel either becoming displaced from their homes as well, or under near-constant threat of rocket attacks. With the war still ongoing, there has also been a worldwide increase in antisemitism and significant civilian unrest, and much is still left undecided about how history will look back on this time and how (and even when) this day will be commemorated. 

It is our hope that this collection of educational resources, created and curated by The Lookstein Center, will help students around the world to meaningfully remember the events of October 7, 2023—both the horrors and the hope—through the study of ancient and modern Jewish texts, prayer, songs, and profiles, ideas for purposeful action, prompts for deep reflection, and more.