On October 7, 2023, a terrorist attack was committed at multiple sites in southern Israel. It was the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. 1,200 people were murdered, 4,800 injured, and 255 people, including babies, teens, and grandparents were kidnapped into Gaza by Hamas, and other groups.
To learn more about those who were taken into captivity, and how you can support the efforts to bring them home and support their families, go to this website.
Update 11/4/2025: On October 13, 2025, just over two years since the attack, the remaining living hostages were returned, including Evyatar David, whose family we had the honor of meeting in Israel while performing at Evyatar’s Jam at Hostages Square. Following the release of the remaining living hostages, bodies of murdered hostages have also been returned but as of November 11, 2025, 4 remain in Gaza and need to be brought home.
Here is an interactive map that tells you about the different massacre sites and about the victims.
One of the sites was the Nova Music Festival. You can learn more about that massacre here and here.
In November 2024, Jewish Akron sponsored six musicians from the area, including Rami Feinstein, Angie Haze, Benjamin Payne, Nate Vaill, India Rush, and myself, to travel to Israel and perform for people and communities impacted by October 7th and the war.
To Jews reading this from Israel or the diaspora, I know it seems sometimes like we have been abandoned in our fight to combat the antisemitism and hatred that is emerging from every direction. But, you are not alone. We are not alone. I am a Jew, and in my city of Cleveland, Ohio, Jewish organizations continue to work to address the needs of our communities along with combating the rising antisemitism and disinformation about Israel. One such example is Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s Defending the Facts portal.
Don’t give up. We will live on.
עם ישראל חי
– Sean Benjamin