On Oct. 7, Hillel at Dartmouth and the Rohr Chabad Center at Dartmouth hosted a vigil in remembrance of Hamas’s attack on Israel one year earlier. Approximately 100 community members gathered on the Green to honor the lives lost.
On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacked Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 254 hostages. A year later, Hamas and Israel are still engaged in a bitter war with no end in sight. Approximately 1,700 Israelis have died in all. The Palestinian death toll stands at more than 41,000.
Attendees held candles while students and religious leaders discussed the importance of maintaining community and supporting Israel. Participants also took part in Hebrew prayer.
In an interview after the vigil, Chabad director Rabbi Moshe Leib Grey said Hillel and Chabad organized the event to provide community members with a space to grieve.
“For many of us, the pain remains so raw and so real,” Grey said. “We lie awake at night, our hearts heavy with the suffering of our brothers and sisters.”
In the opening speech of the evening, Hillel co-religion chair Jonas Rosenthal ’25 spoke about the history of antisemitism on college campuses and called for Jewish students to have courage in its face.
“The New York Times called the antisemitism on college campuses this last year ‘unprecedented,’” he said. “I don’t agree with that word at all. How could it be unprecedented when in living memory, this college and others had anti-Jewish quotas? How could it be unprecedented when in living memory, this college and others had fraternities that barred the admission of Jews?”
After Rosenthal’s speech, attendees sang Shalom Rav — a Hebrew prayer asking for “Abundant Peace” — and El Maley Rakhamim, a Hebrew memorial prayer for the departed. Following the vigil, the Roth Center for Jewish Student Life hosted an open dinner.
In an interview after the vigil, Hillel Rabbi Seth Linfield tied the event to rising antisemitism.
“We must confront the rising tide of antisemitism with steadfast resolve, forging alliances with all communities and people of goodwill,” he said. “…We must focus on fortifying ourselves and building up our community, rather than merely defending against those who seek to bring us down.”
Linfield added that the vigil was made more significant by Israel’s recent conflict with Iran. On Oct. 1, Iran launched approximately 180 ballistic missiles at Israel; a week later, Israel carried out airstrikes near the Iranian Embassy in Syria.
“[The vigil] gives context to everything that’s taking place, in terms of the war with Iran and the Iranian proxies,” Linfield said. “But it also is part of an indicator of the human toll, of how so many human beings created in the divine image — Jews and Palestinians, Christians, so many in the region — have been impacted by the events of Oct. 7.”
Attendee and local resident Marla Gordan said she was “grateful” that passersby were respectful — adding that some even joined in calling for peace.
“I was nervous for the event because it’s so public, but I was just very grateful that it was so peaceful and everyone passing by just allowed it,” she said. “What keeps me hopeful is that everyone I know wants nothing but peace for both Israelis and Palestinians. We just want peace.”
Serena Goldstein ’28, who also attended the event, said she found solace in shared prayer.
“Looking around at the circle of people holding their candles and singing Hatikvah [the Israeli national anthem] was very moving,” Goldstein said.
