On the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, Queen’s students and community members gather for remembrance and reflection through a commemorative vigil.
Hillel Queen’s, Chabad Kingston, Run for Their Lives Kingston, and other organizations are hosting a week of events to honour the victims and reflect on the events of Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas—designated a terrorist group by the Government of Canada—launched a missile attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip, followed by a ground offensive where around 200 Israeli citizens were taken hostage.
“Together with students and community members, we’re hosting a series of events throughout the week to remember, reflect, and unite in hope and resolve,” a Hillel Instagram post said. Hillel is one of the various Kingston-based Jewish groups organizing these events, including a vigil which was held on Oct. 7 in Grant Hall and saw around 400 community members in attendance.
The hour-long vigil saw students and community members share their personal experiences in the aftermath of Oct. 7, including those with family members who were killed or remain captive in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict. Speakers led prayers for the state of Israel, and the vigil concluded with the audience standing to sing Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem.
In a statement to The Journal, Vice-President (External Relations) at Hillel Queen’s Phoebe Starnino, CompSci ’27, shared the significance of commemorating Oct. 7 and the importance it holds to her.
“The vigil is for those students who have spent the past year carrying the pain of murdered loved ones, friends and relatives taken hostage, and war in the only Jewish country in the world. We are here to support Jewish and Israeli students on the anniversary of the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust, the worst pogrom in our lifetimes,” Starnino said.
Starnino explained why wearing her Magen David necklace, a symbol of her Jewish faith, holds significance.
“I wear my Magen David necklace every single day. We must be unafraid to be proudly Jewish on campus. When I see another person wearing a Magen David in a lecture hall or as I walk through Mitchell Hall, it makes me feel safer, I know I’m not alone,” Starnino wrote.
Ava Fields, HealthSci ’25, attended the vigil and emphasized the importance of campus solidarity and the need for Jewish people to support one another.
“To me, it [the vigil] meant coming together in solidarity as Jews and being comforted by one another, holding up our spirits for one another, and for all our friends and family that have either been murdered in Israel or are fighting the active war right now,” Fields said.
The vigil is one of this week’s events for Jewish students. On Oct. 8, Hillel will be hosting “Tuesday Schmoozeday” which will allow students to drop in and meet Hillel staff and other students over coffee and colouring. The event will pivot to a Guided Listening Circle with a wellness specialist. Later that day, a screening of We Will Dance Again, a documentary about the Nova Music massacre, will be hosted.
On Oct. 9, Hillel will partner with Kvell & Kibbitz, an on-campus Jewish organization that publishes written magazine pieces, to run an “Outdoor Art Program” where participants will use chalk and paint to create art pieces.
The week will conclude with a talk on Oct. 10, where Nohad Mansour, a Druze-Israeli, will speak about his experience on Oct. 7 in a public interview hosted by Hillel’s Director, Yos Tarshish. The event will discuss the unique aspects of the Druze-Israeli experience and hear Nohad’s thoughts on the future challenges as well as opportunities facing Israel and Israelis.
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