Students, many of them wearing yellow ribbons as well as dog tags that read "Bring Them Home," recited prayers to bless soldiers in the Israeli Defense Force, protect the hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7 and protect the state of Israel. Student organizers painted the phrases "Am Yisrael Chai," Hebrew for "The People of Israel Live," and "Never Again is Now!" in blue spray paint on The Rock.

MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz and Vice President Vennie Gore were also in attendance, although they did not participate in any prayers.

Later that night, Students for Justice in Palestine also held a remembrance event at Beaumont Tower for Palestinians who have been killed in the year-long war Israel has waged against Hamas.

Attendees heard from Yuval Hershler, an Israeli woman who recounted her experience living in Israel during the Oct. 7 attack. Hershler spoke about how the images of murdered Israelis have been burnt into her memory and follow her every day. What kept her sane around this time, Hershler said, was hosting Israeli soldiers in her home and supporting their cause in whatever way she could.

"We have so many people who hate us," Hershler said to the crowd. "We need to be united and be supportive of one another, not only in times of crisis like this but every day."

Vice President of the Jewish Student Union Skylar Elbinger said that although the event’s purpose was to give Jewish and pro-Israel students a space to mourn those killed and pray for Israel and its military, the event was strictly apolitical.

"Being a Jewish and a Zionist student is not a political problem," Elbinger said. "It’s not political in the slightest. We’re here for the whole purpose of supporting our students and remembering the lives lost last year on Oct. 7, 2023."

Many students in attendance mentioned how important having a sense of community was for the one-year anniversary of the attack. Human biology junior Adina Peysakhov said that it was crucial to hold an event where students could be surrounded by their community in prayer and mourning.

"We all love each other," Peysakhov said. "We might not know each other individually but we all stand for the same cause. We all love each other, and we’re all here to support (each other)."

Regardless of support or a sense of community, the anniversary of the attack brought with it a somber mood to the event. International relations junior Nathan Zarkowsky said that, even a year since the attack, it takes time to process the events of that day.

"I’m still just processing stuff," Zarkowksy said. "I have hope for the future … seeing that there is a group of people here that will not forget what happened, and that we will continue to grow, because that’s what the Jewish culture has done always."

At the conclusion of the event, advertising management senior Charlie Acker asked attendees to place LED candles around the Rock as a symbol of the strength and persistence of the Jewish community.

"The light of the Jewish people has endured for thousands of years," Acker said. "It will continue to endure for thousands more."