Nova Memorial Day for October 7th

 Nova Memorial Day for October 7th

They came from all the world, those tightly knit and loving communities, the towns, cities and global villages, the vast continents, over land, ocean, sea and the expansive lands where Judaism is so richly celebrated, cherished, and treasured. They stood together in poignant unison and just reflected on the events that, a year ago to the day, so horrifically scarred the beautiful country that is Israel, damaging and then destroying humanity and leaving nothing behind it but the repulsive smell of death, heartache and suffering. 

Today, a year ago, hundreds of music concert lovers were leaving the Nova music festival in Israel just happy and euphoric, delighted to be among each other on the glorious festival of Simchat Torah. And then their world collapsed around them and the evil forces of murder and pathological hatred spread their tentacles around, poisoning the air with its deeply distressing aftermath. Over 1,500 innocent Israelis died in the most horrific outbreak of violence and terrorism ever seen in modern times. Even a year later, the rest of the world is still numb, still speechless, traumatised and still asking questions, still rationalising with senseless killing.

And yet amid the devastation, destruction, brutal barbarity and the relentless onslaught of gun fire, bullets, bombings and missiles that fell on that fatal and fateful day, we have yet to find answers to those crucial questions. We will know exactly why October 7th happened but will never discover how it was allowed to happen. The events are well chronicled and the depth of the personal loathing brazenly expressed by the despicable terrorist networks of Hamas and Hezbollah leave most of us cold, stunned, shocked beyond reason, appalled and just lost for words.

But on a grey and uplifting Sunday afternoon in Hyde Park in London, we held up our Israeli flags with the kind of immense pride that has almost become customary since last year on October 7th. We have marched defiantly along the Embankment, animated, angry and determined to let the rest of the world know that we were still here, passionately supportive and never going away. We were wholeheartedly committed to the cause, imploring that the Israeli hostages held in captivity be released immediately.

We knew we were probably wasting our time but we had to hold onto something, an indefinable optimism, a delusional belief that Hamas would just surrender and give back those innocent people who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. What we didn't know was that Hamas had stubbornly dug their heels in, refusing to allow commonsense to prevail and intent on the complete annihilation of Israel, wiping the country off the map of the world.

In the distance there was a stage ready to host yet another rousing concert to the thousands down below them, the stoic ones who held the Israeli flags and innumerable photographs of the hostages. We looked around us and heard the voices that mattered most, both Jewish and Christian contingents with the same message, the same proclamation of freedom and liberation. They'd heard enough about torture and mutilation of babies and children, the inhumanity of it all, the dreadful conditions that the hostages had been undergoing for so long. There was, above all desperation, a plaintive plea to just be released from stinking hovels and then reintroduced to families, smiling mothers and fathers, grandparents, cousins, aunties and uncles. This, though, was one emotional reunion that would never take place.

For exactly a year we have seen nothing but burning buildings, charred ruins, flattened homes, supermarkets, post offices, chemists, government organisations and, above all rubble. We have seen plumes of black smoke soaring into the skies, fires and explosions, children buried in the ground being pulled out of broken girders, piles of bricks, twisted metal, the skeletal remains of once proud structures. They were now drenched in blood, faces caked with yet more blood, dripping blood from torn clothes, bodies now unrecognisable, all hope gone. Israel was now inconsolable and crestfallen, families were now murdered and never to see each other again. It looked like the worst of all Greek tragedies but this particular disaster had been situated in the Middle East.

The hardest pill to swallow was the one after October 7th when, after the  inevitable retaliation from Israel, Hamas and now Hezbollah were now claiming that there have been almost 40,000 fatalities when we all know that such figures have been grossly exaggerated. Of course the propaganda machine is functioning more efficiently than ever. It is one long, agonising nightmare where once again the law abiding civilians have suffered and died in the general madness and maelstrom.

And then we go back to the beginning of this human catastrophe. A recent BBC documentary highlighted the terrible magnitude of one continuous day of rabid terrorism. We saw young teenagers fleeing for their lives to some warm sanctuary where they could hide but were still petrified in case one of the bullets and bombs had fatally hit them. They concealed themselves in building skips and containers, in improvised trenches, behind the remnants of shops, anywhere that could provide them with a safe haven. But then we heard the crying, terrified youngsters, throwing themselves onto the ground and praying for their lives. 

We all know that at some point a ceasefire must be considered and peace will be declared. But that's not even on the imminent agenda soon because one side simply want to murder every Jew and Israeli on the planet. It's personal, a vile vendetta against the state of Israel, the extinction of the Jewish race and ruthless persecution of all Jews. We should shiver with revulsion at such vicious victimisation, a simple desire to rid the world of Jews from every Jewish population. Of course we should express our disgust and condemnation for all those 1,500 Jewish youngsters who lost their lives for no reason at all. 

Yesterday, Hyde Park echoed the sentiments of our private thoughts. They listened to Chief Rabbi Mervis, prominent Jewish poets and historians, hugely eloquent orators, dignitaries and dignified folk who delivered their sermons with heartfelt emotions. We were undoubtedly moved to tears but didn't really know how to articulate more and more grief because this is one conflict that can have no resolution without compromise and acceptance of the status quo. Hamas and Hezbollah insist that they will never stop until every Jew is blasted into oblivion, so that just seems like a forlorn hope. But we have to hope because hope means progress and finally, victory over Hamas and Hezbollah.

Across the whole of Hyde Park we saw a movement in a positive direction, thousands of Jews and non Jews, the old Iranian flags fluttering away gratifyingly on the side of Israel. We saw Friends of Israel stalls from all over Britain and our North London location. We saw all religious denominations backing Israel and Standing by Israel. They were wrapped in the blue and white of the Star of David and we felt secure and united, harmonious and, quite literally, singing from the same hymn sheet. 

 Occasionally there were gentle drizzles of rain and occasional flickers of late autumn sun but there was something very enriching and invigorating about the day that restored your faith in man and woman kind. Your family were there for you and of course they mean the world to you. By the end of the day it felt so good to be Jewish and so deeply proud of your Jewish identity that you simply wanted to chant Hava Negilla a million times with resounding certainty. Being Jewish is so wonderful.