New York Jewish institutions prepare to commemorate third anniversary of Oct. 7 attacks while anti-Zionist groups plan demonstrations

Jewish institutions in New York are preparing to commemorate the third anniversary of Hamas’ attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. The attacks resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and the abduction of 251 individuals. The conflict has since claimed the lives of 452 Israeli soldiers, with over 74,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza, according to local health authorities.

In Manhattan, the Marlene Meyerson Jewish Community Center is hosting a day of remembrance, featuring music and community activities from noon until 7 p.m. An exhibition titled “Strokes of Hope,” showcasing drawings by Israeli artist Zeev Engelmayer, will also be on display.

UJA-Federation of New York is launching a public art installation called “Rooted” at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. The exhibit will feature thousands of hostage solidarity tags and pins, on display until October 25. At 92NY on the Upper East Side, a conversation will take place between an Israeli father, Jonathan Dekel-Chen, and a Palestinian father, Jaser AbuMoussa, moderated by Claire Shipman, former acting president of Columbia University.

Omer Shem Tov, an Israeli former hostage, will speak at Yeshiva University’s memorial event at 8 p.m. In Brooklyn, the Park Slope Jewish Center will host an event at 7 p.m., including personal testimony from Atir Vinnikov, a survivor of the Nova music festival massacre.

In Union Square, the group Israelis for Peace will gather for an evening of “quiet reflection and mourning” for those killed on October 7 and in its aftermath. Meanwhile, anti-Zionist student groups are planning walkouts on campuses across the city, including at City University of New York, Columbia, and NYU.

These walkouts will culminate in a rally outside City Hall at 4 p.m., organized by Pal-Awda and endorsed by several groups. The event calls on Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a vocal critic of Israel, to stop what organizers describe as “capitulating to Zionist pressure.” The events reflect a complex landscape of remembrance, solidarity, and political expression in the wake of the ongoing conflict.

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