The faces of Israeli hostages are displayed during ‘An Evening of Heroes’ on the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel. The Sunday, Oct. 6, event at the 305 Club in Kendall, was one of several services held in South Florida. Photo credit: Tatenda Mukurazhizha
KENDALL – After firing thousands of rockets into Israel, the Islamic Palestinian nationalist militant group Hamas ravaged Gaza border communities, killing entire families, raping women and taking hostages on Oct. 7, 2023.
Israeli residents Menachem Kalmenson, his brother and a nephew did not stand by.
After hearing the news of the ongoing attacks, they rushed from their West Bank homes to Kibbutz Be’eri, a desert communal settlement located close to the eastern border of the Gaza Strip. For 16 hours straight, the trio entered the kibbutz, knocking on doors and rescuing dozens of terrified residents.
But the next day in the mid-morning hours of Oct. 8, Kalmenson and his brother Elhanan were ambushed by a Hamas terrorist; Elhanan was killed.
“I lost my brother in my own hands,” Kalmenson told a somber audience gathered Sunday, Oct. 6, in Kendall for a commemorative service of the terrorist attacks in Israel. “But we know they didn’t fall without reason. There is a cause we are fighting for and knowing that gives us the strength to endure all the pain.”
‘An Evening of Heroes’
“An Evening of Heroes” commemoration, held at 6 p.m. at the 305 Club events venue, attracted about 150 people who heard Kalmenson and others talk about the atrocities of the Oct. 7 attacks, which took the lives of 1,200 people, including residents of Kibbutz Be’eri and other villages near the Gaza Strip and young attendees at the Nova Music Festival. Of the 250 people kidnapped by Hamas, 100 are believed to remain in captivity in underground caves in Gaza.
During the ceremony, the names of the hostages and others missing in the conflict were read aloud, among them:
“Matan Angrest, 22,
Amiram Cooper, 85,
Karina Ariev, 20,
Sahar Baruch, 25”
Throughout the evening, speakers reflected on the lives lost and the courageous efforts of those like Kalmenson who stood against violence.
‘We are still at war’
Rabbi Yossi Harlig of the Chabad of Kendall & Pinecrest, one of the event organizers, spoke passionately about the ongoing struggle faced by Israelis and Jews worldwide. He emphasized that the fight was not only against terrorism but also against hatred and ignorance that have persisted for generations.
“We are still at war,” Harlig said. “But this war is not just for the Jews in Israel, it is for humanity.”
The event also underscored the need for continued support from global communities, including local efforts. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava emphasized the importance of civic leadership in bridging divides and promoting unity.
“The only way to combat hatred is to make connections that reveal the humanity in each of us,” said Levine Cava, acknowledging the persistent misunderstandings between communities and nations, particularly over conflicts related to land and identity. “We must start from an early age to educate, live together, and heal the divisions that have caused so much suffering.”
The human cost of conflict
Kalmenson, whose efforts with his brother and nephew were recognized in April when they were awarded Israel’s “Civil Heroism” prize, said the attack serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of the conflict.
“What we saw on that day was pure evil,” Kalmenson said. “If we don’t stop it in Gaza and Lebanon, it will spread, not just to Israel, but to America and the West.”
David Schifflinger, who attended the West Kendall event, said he was inspired by Kalmenson and the commemoration itself.
“It gave me a lot of courage and a lot of unity,” Schifflinger said. “And basically, that where we are, you know, as Jewish people. It’s all about unity. It’s all about peace.”
The ceremony and hundreds like it held in South Florida and across the world were designed to unite the Jewish community and its allies in a show of solidarity, honoring victims and celebrating the bravery of survivors and heroes, event organizers said.
“We must continue to live our lives and show love to one another,” Rabbi Harlig said, calling for unity among all people. “Only by coming together can we bring an end to hatred and build a world where love triumphs over division.”
