On the anniversary of October 7, Rambam Mesivta held a powerful and emotional multimedia experience for the students. Principal Mr. Hillel Goldman opened the program with a meaningful message to the students. He emphasized that “just as we responded in the aftermath of that tragic day with an outpouring of t’filos, tz’dakah, and acts of chesed, you should focus on recapturing those same feelings, using them to strengthen your daily t’filos, improving your midos, and try to maintain that sense of duty and commitment to Eretz Yisrael even though we are a year removed.”
Mr. Chanani Levy, a Rambam alumnus from the class of 2013, was then introduced. He had been the captain of the hockey team and a member of the poetry team during his time at Rambam. After spending three years learning at Gush in Israel, he joined an elite unit in the IDF. He spoke of his love for Torah and love of learning, which he developed during his years at Rambam, and he credited that to Rabbi Haar, Rabbi Ziskind, and Mr. Goldman. He also mentioned his strong sense of Zionism, which was developed at Rambam; credit no doubt goes to the Principal Emeritus, Rabbi Yotav Eliach.
Chanani recounted his personal experience from October 7. While on a family trip in Europe, he heard about the events unfolding in Israel and immediately returned with his father-in-law to join their respective units in the IDF. He was proud to say that the reservists, the people of Israel, showed up, and had a 300% return rate to the army.
He left the students with a powerful message: Rambam’s mission is to take what they learn in school and apply it to help the world and Israel in any way they can.
The program then opened to a Q&A session, which allowed for meaningful exchanges between Chanani and the students, covering everything from Israeli’s recent military strikes to the political and spiritual climate in Israel.
Afterward, the 11th and 12th graders remained in the Shul with Rabbi Avi Herschman, Rosh Mesivta, who shared a video, “How Did October 7 Change Israel?” – reflecting on the events of the day and the fallout, marking one year since the tragedy. Meanwhile, the ninth and tenth graders went with Mr. Goldman to the gym, which was transformed into a memorial for the victims of October 7 and fallen IDF soldiers. The lights were dimmed as students took time to read biographies of those who were killed. Mr. Goldman led discussions, allowing many students to voice their thoughts, and one student noted how reading about the soldiers’ hobbies and ages made the losses feel personal – it added faces to the numbers we have been hearing on the news, making the experience emotional and deeply moving. Another student, who was in Israel at the time, also shared his experiences.
Then the ninth and tenth grade students returned to the Shul to watch the video, while the 11th and 12th graders went to the gym and had their own reflective experience and discussions.
After those programs were finished, the entire school gathered in the Shul for the announcement of a new chesed project that Rambam will be taking on to help a 2003 alumnus serving in the IDF as well as his community. The school committed to helping his community by raising much needed funds to assist families with food, childcare, and other expenses. Additionally, the school plans to run a second chesed mission to Israel, where students will help the community hands-on through volunteering. Students will also visit families of hostages and families of soldiers, as well as volunteer at army bases, on farms, and beyond.
Rabbi Haar then led the students in T’hilim, followed by students Mark Khaimov and Aidan Mayer leading the entire school in singing “Acheinu,” “V’Hi SheAmdah,” and “Am Yisrael Chai.” As the lights dimmed, the atmosphere was one of unity and ahavas Yisrael.
This program, put together by Rabbi Avi Herschman, Mr. Hillel Goldman, and Rabbi Yitz Milworn, with the input from Rosh Yeshivah Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, honored the memories of all those who fell on October 7 and resonated deeply with everyone in attendance. It was not just an assembly or an October 7 program. It was an experience that allowed the Rambam students to stand with one foot in Lawrence and one foot in Israel – separated by a body of water but connected through song and a shared sense of grief, unity, and hope.