Maybe the evening’s most powerful speeches came from two high school students, ages 17 and 16, both sharing their personal experiences of the October 7 attacks and the challenges they faced afterward. The 17-year-old, who had been in Israel, described the shock of the day: “We were walking back from the Western Wall when the first siren sounded… then the Iron Dome, then the explosion. It haunted me for months,” she recalled. Returning to Washington, she encountered a different challenge: “I left a world of hostages and rockets and returned to a world with another ruthless, insidious enemy—antisemitism.” Instead of retreating, she turned her focus to advocacy.

The 16-year-old’s storytelling captivated the audience with raw honesty: “They say that we are the chosen people… But what does that really mean?” he wondered aloud. Recounting his plea to stay in Israel, he shared, “When we were told we had to go home, I called my parents and pleaded with them… But in the end, we were forced to come home.” Back in Washington, he faced the reality of being misunderstood. “No one truly understood what all of this felt like,” he said, but turned his experience into a drive to make a difference, saying, “We are each chosen to find our own way of sorting through what is happening to our people.”

U.S. Representative Kim Schrier’s speech felt raw and personal. “October 7, for all of us, is a day we will never forget,” she began, her voice carrying the weight of the past year. She spoke of the unimaginable reality that a year later, 101 hostages remain in Gaza. Schrier also expressed her hope. “Our commitment to Israel and the Jewish people is unshakeable… We will continue to stand strong against antisemitism in a bipartisan way,” she declared. The audience responded with a palpable sense of connection. 

A video message (beginning at 13:05) from Israel’s Consul General to the Pacific Northwest, Marco Sermoneta, powerfully conveyed the horror of the Palestinian attacks and their lasting impact. “October 7, 2023, was the worst day of our lives. Jews were being raped, decapitated, burned alive, and murdered again—just as they had been for centuries,” he said, leaving the room in silence. Sermoneta also spoke to the challenges Israel faces on the global stage, emphasizing, “No army has done what Israel is doing to minimize casualties.” He echoed the theme of supporting Israel’s right to defend itself.

There was a message from Israel’s President, Yitzhak Herzog. “Our wounds can’t fully heal because they are ongoing,” Herzog said. His message called for unity and strength, encouraging the Jewish community to persevere in the face of adversity.

As the evening came to a close, Solly Kane’s strong words lingered in the air. “As Jews, we’re not just individuals; we’re part of something bigger,” he said. It was a reminder of the strength of memory and the promise of action. “October 7 will be etched in our collective memory, but it must also be a call to action,” he added.

The event concluded with the notes of Oseh Shalom filling the room, leaving behind a blend of resolve and hope. This event served as a testament to the power of unity, and stayed in the minds of those who attended, being a reminder for what is possible when Jewish people come together with purpose and strength.