Israel Holds State Ceremony Commemorating Victims of Hostile Acts

Israel is holding a state memorial ceremony for victims of hostile acts, three years after the Hamas massacre that shocked the nation. On that day, 766 Israeli civilians were murdered in their homes in kibbutzim and communities across the Western Negev, from Sderot to Holit. They were also killed on roads near the Gaza border fence, in safe rooms, and in open fields where music festivals were taking place. The ceremony, observed on the Hebrew date of 24 Tishrei, marks the anniversary of the October 7th attacks, referred to in the article as the "Simchat Torah massacre of 5784." Speakers at the event include Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, President Yitzhak Herzog, and Aivy Moses, Chairman of the Organization of Victims of Hostile Acts. The ceremony also features performances by singers Yuval Raphael and Noam Batten, both past representatives of Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest. Raphael survived by hiding in a safe room near Re'im during the attack. The article also touches upon the tendency for Israelis to suppress the Hebrew date of the massacre, contrasting it with the secular date of October 7th, and noting how those who follow the Hebrew calendar measure time by the Jewish year and upcoming holidays.