Israelis are holding vigils and somber ceremonies to mark a year since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack, the deadliest in the country’s history, an attack that sparked the war in Gaza and scarred Israelis indelibly. Its aftershocks still ripple.
They flocked to ceremonies and cemeteries around New York City and the nation on Monday, as police gear up for potential demonstrations.
The largest commemoration of the Oct. 7 anniversary was expected to be held Monday evening In Central Park, with a capacity crowd of 5,000 likely to be on hand. That includes family members of the estimated 100 hostages still being held captive, as well as survivors of the attack at the Nova Music Festival, where Hamas murdered hundreds.
Rabbi Joshua Davidson of Temple Emanu-El on the East Side of Manhattan opened up his synagogue’s sanctuary to an expected overflow crowd.
"This is the anniversary of a terrible tragedy that befell our people and it was the start of a very difficult year the rise in antisemitism that occurred after Hamas’s attack," said Davidson. "We are mourning the terrible loss of human life today in Israel, in Lebanon and Gaza. All the innocent deaths. Today though is a day of Jewish solidarity, Jewish prayer and hope for a better future."
In Queens, former President Donald Trump met with Jewish leaders and other supporters in the community and visited the Ohel Chabad Lubavitch in Cambria Heights, considered to be a holy Jewish site. It is the burial place of influential rabbis of the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty.
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Inside, Trump followed custom by writing a letter to the rabbi, then read it and ripped it up before dropping it in an enclosed area. He also appeared to pause and look at signs showing some of the hostages taken in Israel.
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Vice President Kamala Harris planted a memorial tree on the grounds of the vice president’s residence in honor of the victims. She planted a pomegranate tree — significant in Judaism as a symbol of righteousness and love. She also delivered remarks in which she vowed not to forget the victims of Oct. 7.
Elsewhere in the city, pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel groups made their voices heard opposite each other at Columbia University, which made national headlines over pro-Palestinian protests on campus during the spring and summer. Protests continued when classes resumed in the fall, with students demanding divestment from Israel.
Campus security was tight Monday with police barriers up, as two groups on opposing sides held demonstrations just off the steps of the Low Library. The university's interim president said the Morningside campus would remain temporarily closed to the public due to "the uncertainty of the political environment." It was not immediately clear how long the campus would stay closed, with school IDs required to enter the campus
Classes at Columbia continued as scheduled, with some students walking out to join protesters from other colleges across the city. In the Spring, pro-Palestinian encampments and a takeover of Hamilton Hall ended with arrests after the school's administration made the controversial decision to call in police in an effort to restore calm on campus.
Throughout the afternoon and evening, thousands of people were seen marching with pro-Palestinian flags and signs in lower Manhattan, making their way up near Washington Square Park, Union Square, outside Grand Central Terminal and the New York Public Library near Bryant Park. Demonstrations began on Wall Street outside the New York Stock Exchange, where a group of around 100 protesters assembled and started marching uptown. The size of the protest march swelled into the thousands, and was expected to culminate at Central Park.
The NYPD was shadowing the protesters, with no arrests reported as of 5 p.m. The police department said it would not stand in the way of protests, provided that they remain peaceful and don't block city streets.
Over the weekend, there were pro-Palestinian protests and memorials for hostages from New Jersey to Long Island. Those were mainly peaceful. Roughly a thousand people marched through the streets of Paterson, New Jersey, for a rally in an area known as "Little Palestine," which is home to one of the tri-state's largest Palestinian populations.
The FBI and Homeland Security also warned of potential violence ahead of the one-year mark since the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel. The federal agencies warned of foreign terrorist organizations, violent extremists and hate crime perpetrators who may call for lone attacks on the U.S.
Gov. Kathy Hochul deployed New York State Police to local jurisdictions through the anniversary after a series of bomb threats targeted synagogues across the state on Friday. Ultimately, none were deemed credible.
“These threats are horrific and unacceptable — and targeting houses of worship on one of the holiest days of the Jewish calendar is particularly craven," Hochul said in a statement. "We will not tolerate acts of antisemitism or attempts to incite fear. New Yorkers stand united against all forms of hate and violence."
Adding to the intense feelings is the arrival of the Jewish High Holy Days — days that bracket the Oct. 7 anniversary with rituals focused on mortality and recalling the deaths of loved ones and ancient martyrs. Many are taking consolation in the rituals as they mark an emotionally fraught milestone.
The FBI and Homeland Security also warned of potential violence ahead of the one-year mark since the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel. The federal agencies warned of foreign terrorist organizations, violent extremists and hate crime perpetrators who may call for lone attacks on the U.S.
The Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, killed 1,200 Israelis and triggered a still-ongoing war in Gaza, whose health ministry says Israel has killed more than 41,500 Palestinians and wounded more than 96,000 others. Israel is now intensifying attacks on Hamas ally Hezbollah with deadly attacks in Lebanon, while Iran has attacked Israel with missiles.
