Israel's Washington Embassy Marks 3 Years Since Oct. 7 With 'Heroes' Ceremony

Israel's Embassy in the United States held a memorial ceremony in Washington on Monday to mark three years since the October 7th attacks. The event, hosted at a synagogue, was attended by hundreds of diplomats, government representatives, and community leaders. Speakers highlighted acts of bravery and sacrifice, alongside prayers for the injured.

U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Michael Needham delivered the keynote address, focusing on the condition of Neriah Leiter, son of Israel's Ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter. Neriah Leiter was critically wounded in a terrorist attack two weeks prior and is fighting for his life. Needham quoted Ambassador Leiter, stating, "They choose death, we choose life." He contrasted this with "forces of barbarism" that "worship death and seek it as an end in itself," emphasizing that those who defend civilization do so out of love for life and are willing to sacrifice everything to protect it.

Needham praised Israel's resilience over the past three years, stating, "With Israel has chosen life. Civilization will continue to prevail as long as our people are blessed with heroes like the Leiter family and their brethren across Israel and the U.S."

Nevo Bar-Haddad, Deputy Ambassador of Israel to Washington, spoke about national resilience and attempts to harm Israel, asserting that the October 7th attack demonstrated the world what enemies sought to destroy but failed to achieve. "We have suffered many losses," he said, "but our enemies cannot and will never break our determination, courage, and resourcefulness."

The ceremony was moderated by Masha Michaelson, Deputy Spokesperson of the Embassy. Robert Cekada, Director of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), lit a special memorial candle. Prayers were offered for the peace of the state and IDF soldiers.

A multimedia presentation by the "Heroes" project, led by singer Gilad Segev, aimed to shift the narrative of the Jewish people from victimhood to heroism. The project showcased stories of Israelis who saved lives on October 7th. Segev has a personal connection to the project, having lost his brother Nadav during his IDF service, an event that inspired his well-known song "It's Good Now." The event concluded with the singing of the national anthems of Israel and the United States.