On October 7, 2023, Israel experienced the deadliest terrorist attack in its history. Under a heavy barrage of rocket fire, thousands of Hamas terrorists invaded Israel. Riding on vehicles and equipped with weapons, by air and on foot, they made their way to the Re’im Park, where thousands of Israelis were partying at the Nova festival. They took control of the main roads, making it difficult for Israeli first responders to approach the area and attacked anyone who tried to escape. There was unimaginably brutality left in their wake. They murdered senior citizens, women, and children indiscriminately. They raped, they mutilated bodies and burned people alive as they set homes and other property on fire.
During the October 7th attack, 860 civilians (nearly half of them at the Nova festival) and 578 soldiers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, Shin Bet personnel, and first responders were murdered. Thousands were wounded, of which hundreds were in critical condition. 251 people were abducted to the Gaza Strip, including children, women, senior citizens, foreign nationals, and soldiers. It was the worse tragedy to face Jews since the Holocaust.
A year later we are still experiencing the ramifications of that day. Israel is still fighting its longest war ever and we still carry with us the trauma of that moment. On the anniversary of our people tragedy, I invite us all to read this prayer wherever you may be as we think about the horror, we all felt a year ago and all the pain that has come since.
E-l Maleh Rachamim
God of Compassion,
In a universe that lacked compassion
Grant tender rest
Beneath the wings of the Shekhinah.
In the broken spheres of human radiance
To the souls of every one of the injured
And the violated in the horrors
of the pogrom Of October 7.
For the fear
That fell upon each man and woman,
elders, youth, and children;
Our mouths do not know how to scream
Or put it into words.
For we lament and mourn
For them, for us,
Because of this our hearts are faint
because of these our eyes grow dim
Woe to us, for we are broken
Woe, for our homes were shattered
Our souls and bodies tormented
And our faces darkened.
Therefore, Compassionate One
Reveal our torment to the world and for all time
And from one end of the earth to the other
May the silenced voices utter:
Guard our souls in the Land of Life
For life is our heritage
May we come in peace to healing
Please God, heal all the injured.
Please God, heal the families and caretakers.
Please God, hear and heal us all.
And let us say, Amen.
Prayer was published by The Hartman Institute in Israel
