Collective Reflection

Last week, The Weber School community gathered in the gymnasium of The Eitan Force Athletic Complex for a spirited Simchat Torah celebration. We sang, danced, and carried the Torah through the crowd, embracing the joy that comes with completing and beginning the Torah cycle anew. Our happiness that morning was especially meaningful. Just hours earlier, the final 20 surviving hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023, two years ago on Shemini Atzeret, had been released and reunited with their families in Israel. It was a moment of collective relief, celebration, and reflection.

 

Only days later, on Thursday, we gathered again as a school community, but this time in solemn remembrance. Weber’s October 7 tekes (ceremony) marked the second anniversary of the attacks, honoring the lives lost, the communities we’ve connected with, and the shared strength that continues to shape our response as a school and as a people.

 

The program opened with music and prayer, followed by the traditional Yizkor, a memorial for those who gave their lives protecting others. We then heard from several guest speakers who shared personal stories shaped by that day and its aftermath.

 

Avishay Ben-Zvi opened the reflections by telling the story of his father, Amitai Ben-Zvi z”l, and the family’s caregiver, Jimmy Pacheco, who lived together in Kibbutz Nir Oz. This was especially meaningful for our community, which held last year’s Concert for the Kibbutzim in honor of Kibbutz Nir Oz and others impacted by the October 7 attacks. Avishay spoke about the days and weeks following the tragedy and how Jimmy, who had tried to rebuild a life in Israel, ultimately returned to the Philippines. In a deeply moving gesture, he named his newborn daughter Israela to honor the home and people he loved.

 

David Lubin, father of Rose Lubin z”l, spoke next. Rose, a former Dunwoody High School student and IDF Border Police officer, was killed in a terrorist attack in Jerusalem last November. Mr. Lubin told Rose’s story with raw honesty and deep love. He spoke of her fierce independence, her Jewish identity, and her lifelong dream of making aliyah and serving in the IDF. From wrestling on the boys’ varsity team to working security in Jerusalem’s Old City, Rose lived with purpose and courage.

He also reflected on grief, memory, and finding strength through love rather than hate. “Every day that I struggle with what I didn’t have,” he said, “it makes it easier to remember what I did have.” For a room full of students so close in age to Rose, his decision to choose gratitude over despair carried particular weight.

 

We also heard from Shir Moyal, Israel Fellow with Hillel at UGA, who shared the story of Tomer Nagar, a gap-year student and Golani Brigade soldier killed on October 7 while guarding the entrance to the Kissufim base. Tomer refused to abandon his post, knowing he was the base’s first line of defense. He fired 750 rounds before he was killed, saving countless lives.

 

Head of School Rabbi Ed Harwitz closed the ceremony with a reflection on memory and commitment. He reminded us that more than 40 Weber alumni have served in the Israel Defense Forces, including seven currently in active service. He spoke about the importance of holding on to the stories of those who were lost, the bravery of those who continue to serve, and our shared responsibility to carry their memory forward.

 

Thank you to Morah Keren Ben-Haim for organizing the program and Kol Hakavod to our student participants: Noga Ben-Tzvi, Zohar Ben-Tzvi, Tomer Bezalel, Talia Bock, Bram Fages, Sari Grant, Ezra Heller, Hadara Lapidus, Einav Malka, Tahel Shantzer, and Liel Wikoff.