As our community prepares to mark the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks, we remember the nearly 1,200 people murdered in Israel on that day. The victims were men, women, and children, many of whom were murdered in their homes or while attending a music festival. We also remember the hundreds of people who were taken hostage. We mourn with the families who continue to live with the trauma, grief, and loss caused by those attacks.

On October 7, a coalition of organizations plans to gather in Rittenhouse Square to celebrate the attacks carried out by Hamas that day. Whatever one’s views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, glorifying the murder and kidnapping of civilians is indefensible. An event that praises the perpetrators of October 7 crosses a moral line and should be condemned.

Political disagreement and advocacy are legitimate parts of civic life. Celebrating terrorism is not. Honoring those responsible for the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust does nothing to advance peace, justice, or understanding.

We urge community leaders, elected officials, faith leaders, and residents across Philadelphia to stand together in rejecting the glorification of terrorism. Mourning victims is an act of humanity. Celebrating their murder is wrong.

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About the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
Since 1901, the Jewish Federation has served as the hub of the region’s Jewish communities, providing an infrastructure of support for Jewish people and organizations in need. Through grants, emergency funding, restricted gifts, endowments, and our partnership with the Foundation for Jewish Day Schools, we annually invest in caring for those in need, combating antisemitism and global crisis, and securing a vibrant Jewish future. For more information, please visit: jewishphilly.org.

For media inquiries, please contact phillyfed@redbanyan.com.