Monday, Oct. 7, 2024 marked one year since the deadly terror attack on Israel by Hamas. The anniversary saw a variety of events at the University in memory of the victims of the attack and the continuing conflicts in the Middle East. 

The University hosted “Join Together in Song” at the Memorial Chapel at 4:30 p.m. The event was organized to portray music as an expression of community at Wesleyan, hosting a pianist and a violinist, and encouraging  students and adults, including President Michael Roth ’78, to sing along.

“In the chapel, the audience all got together to unite in our love for songs of hope,” attendee Batt Erdenebulgan ’28 said. “The piano guided our harmonizing voices to grow from quiet to confident and, by the end of it, everyone was smiling and clapping.”

The musicians played two opera songs and four pop songs for the audience, who followed along with a lyric sheet. 

“When we all sang together as a group, accompanied by the piano and violin, I could feel the hope and emotion that we all shared in the room,” Maya Anvar ’28, who attended, said. “It was a beautiful moment of unity and collective reflection.”

Chabad at Wesleyan, an independent non-profit funded by donations as a branch of the global Jewish organization, hosted a memorial on Foss Hill at 6:30 p.m. to mark the anniversary. Members of the Jewish community and the broader Wesleyan community were invited to participate in the memorial. Students gathered in a circle by West College Four, surrounding Rabbi Levi Schectman of Chabad, who spoke. Some students held an Israeli flag.  

“The event was meaningful and moving, somber yet empowering,” Schectman wrote in a message to The Argus. “The gathering brought together members of the Wesleyan community to reflect on the turbulent events of last year. Students, faculty, and staff stood together to honor the victims and pray for the hostages.” 

After the event, @chabadwes posted on Instagram about the memorial.

“On October 7, 2024, we stood together in mourning, remembrance, prayer, and hope,” the account said. “As we gathered on Foss Hill as proud and unapologetic Jews, we were reminded of the everlasting strength of our people. For centuries, we have sung the song of our people, and we will continue to sing the song of those we lost and honor their memory with unity, love, and peace.”

The Coalition for Action and Mobilization for Palestine (CAMP) scheduled a walkout for Oct. 7 from 2:00 p.m. to 2:40 p.m., a time when many students have class. 

“October 7 is a day that everyone can recognize as hallowed,” CAMP organizer Rosa ’25 said. “It is a day of grieving. It is a day we tally all the days we haven’t stopped the killing.” 

Fliers handed out at various community events and placed around campus described the event as a “Walkout and Vigil on Andrus Field in Solidarity with the Palestinian People.” According to organizers, there were close to 100 attendees. 

The walkout included a moment of silence, poetry readings, and a speech made by Rosa ’25. 

“The ten minutes of silence at the beginning demonstrated the gravity of the day,” Rosa ’25 said. “The speech was aimed at touching on a wide variety of different modes of grieving.”

 

Spencer Landers contributed to reporting and can be reached at sklanders@wesleyan.edu. 

Raiza Goel can be reached at rgoel@wesleyan.edu. 

Anabel Goode can be reached agoode@wesleyan.edu.