Israeli Public Funds National Memorial for October 7 Massacre with Hundreds of Artists

The "Komu" movement and families affected by the October 7 massacre announced the launch of the national memorial ceremony for the October 7 massacre and the "Swords of Iron" war. The event is scheduled for the evening of Wednesday, October 7, at Park HaYarkon in Tel Aviv, and will include hundreds of bereaved families, former hostages, community representatives, and leading Israeli artists. The ceremony is publicly funded through a crowdfunding campaign initiated by the movement, founded by Yonatan Shmariz and residents of the Gaza border area, who called on the public to contribute as in previous years.

This year’s ceremony will be held in an open-park format without designated seating or stands, aiming to accommodate as many participants as possible. Organizers emphasized their commitment to a unified, all-Israeli event representing all sectors of Israeli society affected by the tragedy. The memorial will be broadcast live across Israeli media outlets, including television, radio, online platforms, and international streaming services for community screenings worldwide.

Yonatan Shmariz, whose brother Alon was mistakenly shot by the IDF after escaping captors, described the event as becoming a national tradition and the largest memorial in Israel’s history. He urged all Israelis to support the crowdfunding effort to ensure the ceremony’s success and to unite the nation in shared grief and hope. Co-founder Omri Shproni stressed the families’ responsibility to tell the true story respectfully and inclusively, calling for public support as the event is entirely publicly funded.

Ashira Greenberg, widow of Lt. Col. Tomer Greenberg who fell in combat in northern Gaza and last year’s ceremony host, highlighted the memorial’s role in uniting the Israeli public around a shared memory that authentically represents all affected communities, including settlements, hostages, survivors, civilians, and security forces. She expressed deep emotion anticipating this year’s event, where survivors will join families in the audience.

Bereaved sister Haviva Itzikzon-Man, whose sister paramedic Amit Man was killed in the massacre, emphasized the necessity of the memorial to ensure the world remembers the events of Simchat Torah 2023 and that the pain and truth are not forgotten. Shirel Hogeg, a Komu founder, called the remembrance a national duty to preserve the full truth, including heroism and helplessness, and praised the families for taking on the historic responsibility of Israel’s national memory.