Community Events Include Speakers, Installations, and Reflections on the Ongoing Conflict
Several groups will commemorate the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel with events and tributes over 24 hours beginning the evening of Oct. 6 at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. The commemorations will continue on the evening of Oct. 7 with a special program at the Saban Theatre organized by the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, Israeli-American Council, StandWithUs, and Temple of the Arts.
Featured speakers at the Oct. 7 event include Dr. Mayim Bialik, Israeli actress Moran Atias, Israeli performer Raviv Kaner, and more than 30 elected officials, including Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks. The event will be live-streamed here. The Jewish Federation Los Angeles has also unveiled an “L.A. Remembers” installation on the side of its headquarters at 6505 Wilshire Blvd., as a tribute to the victims and resilience of the community.
On Monday, Oct. 7, If Not Now LA and hundreds of American Jews will gather to mark one year since the attacks at the event “Every Life, A Universe: Los Angeles 10/7 Memorial Gathering for Israeli and Palestinian Life.” The group’s community event will also address concerns over what organizers describe as “brutal collective punishment by the Israeli government” as the violence in the region continues to affect Israel, Lebanon, and beyond.
The anniversary falls during the Jewish High Holidays, a time of reflection and repentance. The Jewish community in Los Angeles will gather to mourn lives lost and those affected by the ongoing conflict, emphasizing that violence runs counter to Jewish values and does not ensure safety for anyone.
The If Not Now event takes place on Monday, October 7, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and will feature remarks from Rabbi Robin Podolsky, Rabbi Aryeh Cohen, and representatives from Salt of the Earth at Grand Park, 205 N Spring Street. They ask that attendees wear white.
Additionally, Beverly Hills Mayor Lester Friedman and council members John Mirisch, Mary Wells, and Craig Corman along with community members, elected officials, and religious leaders, will attend a commemoration at the Israel flag installation in Beverly Hills at 6:00 a.m.