Tucson’s Jewish community gathers to commemorate the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – On Monday, October 7, Tucson’s Jewish community and its allies gathered at the Jewish Community Center to commemorate the first anniversary of the Hamas-led attack on Israel.

The war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023. when Hamas launched a surprise attack on a music festival in Israel, shocking the world. In memory of the lives lost Jewish Philanthropies in Southern Arizona held a community-wide memorial service for the lives lost and hostages captured.

One of the survivors of the attacks is the Israeli musician and composer Micha Biton. He spent most of October 7 last year in a bomb shelter with other families, frequently hearing bombs and rockets overhead.

“I lost a lot of my friends and my heart goes out to them,” Biton said. “We received news that my two best friends were killed when they went outside to defend themselves. So we felt like it was the end of the world.”

Biton tells 13 News 20 people died in his community that day.

“I looked at the families that were in the bomb shelter with me,” Biton said. “I didn’t know if we would survive. I thought, maybe we’ll be next.”

In this bomb shelter, Micah prayed for a miracle. It happened several hours later when he and the families managed to escape.

He shared his experiences with songs and prayers during the memorial service.

The Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona hosted the event and hoped to help people find solace.

Hava Leipzig Holzhauer, the CEO of JPSA, told 13 News that the event should focus on hope and healing with the community.

“We wanted to find the right balance between remembrance, seriousness and sincerity regarding the terrible events that have occurred and continue to occur,” she said.

The Tucson Hebrew Academy choir sang “I’m Coming Home,” a tribute to the community’s hope that the hostages will be freed.

On the walls of the Jewish Community Center, people posted messages remembering the victims of the attacks and hoping that the hostages can return home.

“We hope that we leave people with a little hope with our heads held high,” said Holzhauer. “It shows us that we are a resilient people, that we are strong, that we will carry on and just keep working on our Jewish values.”

Last year, the Israeli Foreign Ministry reported that at least 1,200 people were killed in Israel. The Gaza Health Ministry said more than 41,000 Palestinians were killed as a result of Israel’s retaliatory attacks in Gaza.

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