Before the event began, attendees painted The Rock blue and white with a Star of David and the date “10/7." Organizers distributed miniature Israeli flags and LED candles from a nearby table. 

U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, were both present at the event. Johnson attended as part of Barrett's campaign.

Speakers and attendees alike recalled where they were when news of the attacks broke three years ago.

Jewish Student Union president Micayla Greenberg recalled the fear and isolation she felt on Oct. 7, 2023, sitting in her dorm room after receiving a frantic call from her mother. 

“I checked in with loved ones and watched as the places that I had once felt so beloved to me were destroyed across social media,” Greenberg said. “I realized that my understanding of my Jewish identity would never be the same. I felt sick to my stomach, constantly checking for updates, desperately trying to make sense about what was happening and being unable to put my pain into words.”

Spartans for Israel president Andrew Klein described the Oct. 7 attacks as the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust, calling it a day that “changed all of us forever.” He emphasized the significance of remembering the victims three years later. 

“We did this in an environment that was incredibly hostile to us,” Klein said. “Just 12 days after Oct. 7, the student government passed a bill dehumanizing and delegitimizing Israel. However, no matter how negative the climate on campus was, it was nothing compared to what our brothers and sisters were going through in Israel.” 

Chabad Jewish Center president Jonah Miller reflected on his transition from high school to MSU, noting how initial anxieties gave way to strong campus connections. 

For students in the crowd, gathering at The Rock offered a safe space to honor and share that heritage. 

Human biology junior Sydney Ingber grew up attending temple and emphasized the importance of carrying on traditions during difficult times.

“Right now it’s a hard day for everyone, so I think it's good to all come together as a community," Ingber said, adding that she hoped the gathering would spread a message of “peace and love.” 

Greenberg said that as the war began, her family suggested avoiding campus Jewish organizations out of concern for her safety — but Greenberg chose not to hide her identity. 

“Many times historically, Jews have been encouraged to hide their identities,” Greenberg said. “Yet every day, we make the choice to live openly and proudly as Jews.”

Despite ongoing fears for safety, the central message from every speaker was unyielding community resilience. 

“We are not going anywhere even if the loudest voices try to shoot us down,” Klein said. “We will continue to be active on campus, vote for our interests in our elections and fight antisemitism and anti-Zionism wherever we see it.” 

Looking at the crowd gathered at The Rock tonight, Miller said the event is proof of the community’s endurance three years later. 

“The people who carried out October 7th wanted us to be scared; they wanted us to feel isolated and quiet,” Miller said. “Looking out tonight three years later, it’s clear that they failed.” 

Greenberg reiterated a similar sentiment in her closing remarks: “Tonight, we honor those we have lost and stand with those who carry unimaginable pain and reaffirm that Jewish students deserve to live openly and proudly, and free from antisemitism.”