October 7

October 7. 

The date evokes a harrowing fear. The news broke worldwide that on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, Hamas terrorists had descended on the Supernova Music Festival, several nearby communities near the Gaza Strip, and IDF bases, brutally slaughtering anyone in their path; wiping out families and tearing apart entire families; and kidnapping over two hundred innocent civilians. As footage made its way across the internet and eventually into the hands of news stations and publications, mainstream media outlets quickly deemed most of it too graphic to reveal to audiences. Still images surfaced of a brutality beyond comprehension. 

This collection of writings by survivors of the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust is groundbreaking in scope and detail. These raw, first-hand accounts memorialize the murdered and keep that day alive in our collective conscience. The events of October 7 will never be forgotten by those who were witnesses, and the impact must be shared with the rest of the world.

As one survivor writes, “The whole world needs to know what we’ve been through.”

In these writings, we learn of the many acts of heroism that such events so often inspire. And we read of the agonizing pain a parent of a child taken hostage endures; tributes to a fallen father who died protecting his disabled daughter; poems honoring lost sons, daughters, husbands, and wives; recalls of the Torah; and pleas for peace.

Each portrayal opens wide the door to grief, giving the reader an unfiltered account of that terrible day. Some of these writings may be difficult to read, but it is vital that we do read them and understand the impact that day has had on so many lives.

Proceeds from the publication of this book will be provided to organizations that support the survivors and their families.

Eric D. Fingerhut is the President and CEO of The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA). Prior to his appointment at JFNA, Mr. Fingerhut served as the President and CEO of Hillel International from 2013-19. At Hillel, he led the organization's Drive to Excellence, which resulted in doubling the number of students engaged by Hillel each year to over 130,000 and the total funds raised each year to nearly $200M. His emphasis on recruiting, training and retaining top talent for the system, and on building a data and performance driven organization, have become models for the non-profit sector.

Mr. Fingerhut has also had a varied and distinguished career in public service and higher education. He served as Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents from early 2007 to 2011, leading Ohio's system of public universities and colleges; as Ohio state senator from 1997 to 2006; and represented Ohio's 19th congressional district in the U.S. Congress from 1993 to 1994. In 2004, he was the Democratic Party's candidate for U.S. Senate.

Mr. Fingerhut received a juris doctorate from Stanford University Law School and a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University. He and his wife Amy have two sons, Sam and Charlie, and beagles Pedro and Lulu.

Isaac "Bougie" Herzog is an Israeli politician who has been serving as the 11th president of Israel since 2021. He is the first president to be born in Israel after its Declaration of Independence.

Following Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel, Tal Chaika enlisted in the IDF reserves. He felt compelled to create a book about the events to benefit survivors and witnesses. The result is this compilation of personal narratives by survivors of and witnesses to the attack, compiled by Tal with the help of more than fifteen volunteers. It is his hope that readers will understand the horror and fear that the victims experienced during the brutal attack of October 7, 2023.

Tal Chaika is a product manager in the tech industry, and lives in northern Israel.

Lily Marks is a storyteller and writer with a profound interest in exploring her connections to Judaism, Israel, and the history of the Jewish people. She volunteered in Israel after the atrocities of October 7 and the war that followed, and became involved in bringing this book to life as an editor and compiler of the survivor's stories. She hopes these stories will remind readers that everyone affected by the conflict is a human being, deserving of compassion and respect. Lily was born and raised in New York City, where she works at the 92nd Street Y.