On October 7, 2023, the world was forever changed. On October 13, 2025, the world watched, waited, and hoped for another change. This time it would be one that would return hostages home to their loved ones, end more than two years of war, and create a path to peace in the Middle East.
Some of those long-awaited things happened. Twenty living hostages were returned home, and a ceasefire, albeit a fragile one, took hold. But there are still families waiting for the return of the bodies of their loved ones who were killed or died in captivity. Still there are outbursts of violence in Gaza and Israel. And still there is debate over how to achieve a lasting peace.
Ziv Shemesh is the community emissary from Israel. She says the current situation is fraught. “On the one hand, it is finally October 8th, as we say in Israel,” she says, “But in another sense, it is still October 6th because there has been no change in leadership on either side. So, the situation is not really over. The violence is not over, and lessons have not been learned.”
Amidst reports of peace talks and negotiations, The Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville presented its second October 7 commemorative event. Judy Alperin, Federation CEO says she was hoping to have something to celebrate that evening, but that wasn’t the case. “We ended up having to wait a little longer, but it was good to be in community as we all collectively held our breath.”
The evening began with an art exhibit by Israeli artist Erez Kaganowitz. The exhibit, titled Humans of October 7, focuses on Israeli society through the eyes of real people. He says his goal is to fight back at the misconceptions that fuel antisemitism. “Since the October 7th horrific attack, the incitement on the streets and social media fueled antisemitism and misconceptions about Israel and the Jewish people at large. I feel it's imperative to fight back against these misconceptions and rising antisemitism by showing the human side of Israel.”
A highlight of the event was a presentation from David Lubin, the father of Rose Lubin z”l, an IDF soldier who was killed in November 2023. He shared her story of fighting to save people on October 7 and talked about his life since her passing. He said he understands that while he grieves her short life, he understands there is a purpose to her death. “I was telling the story of the blessing of our children and how we don’t have control over things. I really believe that God needed her. She lived this incredible life, did amazing things, this was her time to be taken.”
Lubin also said in the aftermath of her death, his family decided to turn away from hate. “We realized that what took Rose from us was hate. The hate of who she was, what she stood for, the Jewish people. For everything good there’s hate out there that wants to destroy it. And if we turn to it, and if I turn to it, I would only give it strength.” His message is to choose love, to choose gratitude, and to choose faith in the Jewish people.
In addition to Lubin, there were comments by Tennessee state representatives Scott Cepicky (R-District 64). He shared insights from a recent trip to Israel and pledged support for the Jewish people and the state of Israel. “I have a voice for you. I will speak to my dying breath in defense of Israel.”
Also present was Tennessee state representative Caleb Hemmer (D-District 59). Hemmer said he stands in solidarity with the Jewish people and the people of Israel and remembered with respect everyone affected by the attacks. He referenced the notion that, “Israel is the only country that has to defend itself for defending itself.”
Other speakers included actress, activist, and co-founder of the October 7th Coalition, Patricia Heaton. She talked about her commitment through faith to stand against the hate and to support the Jewish people. She said Lubin’s sharing his daughter’s story changed her life. “It gives me something to aspire to in the way I conduct myself.”
On October 12th, the local Run for Their Lives group held the last of their weekly walks to keep focus on the hostages. The group, which is soon to be the subject of a feature documentary, was headed by Danielle Demaso and Tonya Bennett and includes people of divers faiths and backgrounds. They have walked for 91 weeks. Demaso says the final walk felt peaceful, hopeful, and full of love, “This last walk felt different; for the first time in months, there was real hope as hostages were finally being released. The energy was upbeat, yet everyone was careful not to get too excited. No one wanted to jinx the hope by setting up a celebration too soon. The friendships and sense of family we’ve built through these walks are something we will always treasure. We would all do it again, every single step.” Tonya says, “There are still hostages being held in Gaza whose families are desperately awaiting the return of their loved ones. We continue to stand with the hostage families. There is still so much work to be done, and we will continue to stand up against antisemitism and terror.”
The Jewish Observer is published by The Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville and made possible by funds raised in the Jewish Federation Annual Campaign. Become a supporter today.
In the days since the ceasefire was announced, there is cautious optimism in the Jewish community. Alperin says it is time to rebuild and heal from the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust, and to continue the fight to combat antisemitism. “Over these last two years, our Federation has worked tirelessly to support Israel and Israelis, students in local schools and campuses, and to combat antisemitism and antizionism in our community.” She says the community is also grateful for the support of our partners, neighbors, and allies in the broader community as well.
Despite the challenges, Israelis are hopeful for the future. Shemesh says, “There is still pain on both sides of the conflict. And it is important to learn from our past. But we can start healing and we can start rebuilding.”
