On the second anniversary of the brutal Hamas terror attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, and as a glimmer of hope emerges in peace talks between Israel and Gaza, the Houston community came together in a powerful show of remembrance, unity and hope.

On Sunday, Oct. 5, more than 850 people filled Congregation Beth Israel – with a large audience watching online – for a moving citywide commemoration organized by the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, the Consulate of Israel to the Southwest U.S. and with the support of 45 local Jewish organizations.

The program, titled “Remembrance, Reflection, Hope,” struck a balance between mourning the past and holding onto hope for the future, especially as new signs of progress emerge in peace talks between Israel and Gaza.

Remembering and hope
Beth Israel Senior Rabbi David Lyon opened the program with solemn words, honoring those killed on Oct. 7, Israeli citizens and soldiers lost since the war began and the hostages still in captivity.

“Our program recognizes those who are here this day and those who are not here this day,” he said. “They are all with us – in our hearts, in our prayers and in our hands.”

In juxtaposition, Rabbi Lyon also noted the timing of the Oct. 7 program, just before Sukkot, the Jewish holiday known as the “season of joy.”

“With vivid symbols, songs of hope and words of support, we will usher in the season of joy – together with news from Washington and Israel that there are new reasons to dance and to sing.”

‘We’re still grieving’
Renée Wizig-Barrios, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, shared the feelings of most of the Jewish community: cautious optimism with lingering, searing pain.

“Nearly two years after Oct. 7, we are still grieving, and we are still in pain from the perils of this deadly conflict,” she said. “But we remember those we lost and, by gathering here today, we honor their memory.”

Israeli Consul General Livia Link-Raviv spoke of the lasting impact the attack has had on Israelis and Jews around the world. While the grief is still raw, she reminded the crowd that the legacy of Oct. 7 isn’t just about tragedy – but about courage, unity and strength.

Leaders across political, faith lines show support
The evening brought out nearly three dozen local, state and national officials, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who spoke at the event, receiving multiple standing ovations during his remarks.

“No one has responded with the grace of G-d as effectively, time and time again, as the people of Israel,” Abbott said. “We gather to remember those taken from us in the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. And we continue to pray that every hostage is returned home.”

The governor also reaffirmed Texas’ strong support for Israel and the Jewish community, including the state’s recent steps to increase security around places of worship.

Music, memory and community
The commemoration featured music by SoulFarm & Sari, as well as powerful prayers and poetry. A moment of silence followed the lighting of yartzeit candles by community shlichim (emissaries) Aviv Ben Tovim and Shir Benjamin.

Later, Benjamin shared with the JHV how deeply moved she was by the turnout. “It’s amazing to feel how much this community supports us. … It was very touching, and I feel so loved and so at home here,” she said.

Teens Ben Shoss and Beryt Scott read a poem for the IDF; prayers for the hostages were led in both Hebrew and English by Rinat Nahman Alatin and David Zimmerman, respectively. The evening ended with 18 local clergy joining the band to lead the crowd in a heartfelt singing of “Hatikvah,” Israel’s national anthem.

‘Still waiting, still united’
The JHV visited with a number of audience members. Shawn Rosenzweig and his two children all wore American and Israeli flag lapel pins.

“We said we wouldn’t take them off until the hostages came home; and we certainly didn’t expect to still be wearing them two years later,” he told the JHV. “But we’re incredibly appreciative of all the people in Houston and beyond who continue to support the Jewish community and the State of Israel.”

Others, like artist Ora Feinstein, were struck by the sense of unity.

“I know we are very polarized right now,” she told the JHV, “but on this issue, everybody is very united.”

Randi Sonenshein, Anti-Defamation League’s Texas-Oklahoma regional director, echoed that sentiment. “I always want to maintain a sense of optimism,” she told the JHV. “That’s part of our resilience – being able to look forward and imagine better days while still remembering the pain.”

In a moment filled with both sorrow and strength, the message was clear:

The Jewish community is still grieving, but it is not alone. And Jews still believe in peace, in resilience and in one another.

View the Federation’s Oct. 7 commemoration program: