U-M Hillel Memorializes
Slain Hostages
JN STAFF
O
n Tuesday, Sept. 3, the University of Michigan
Hillel’s Wolverines for Israel planned a memorial
for the six slain hostages, murdered by Hamas
when they were so close to being rescued. About 500
people attended.
“I am so proud of our student leaders for bringing
together the Jewish community on campus last night
in memory of Ori Danino, Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-
Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Eden
Yerushalmi. May their memories be a blessing,” said U-M
Hillel CEO Rabbi Davey Rosen.
“Our students created a space for their peers to
come together on the Diag, offering solace and support
during this difficult time. The turnout of nearly 500
individuals demonstrated the strength and unity of our
Jewish community. The loss of these young lives is a
tragic reminder of this terribly difficult moment for the
Jewish people. And, the determination and resolve of
our student leaders is inspiring. Now, more than ever,
a strong and united Jewish community is essential,” he
added.
Dr. Elliot Ratzman, a research fellow at U-M’s Raoul
Wallenberg Institute, launched in the aftermath of the
Oct. 7 attack on Israeli citizens by Hamas and the
subsequent conflicts on American college campuses,
was new to town.
“It is my first week in Ann Arbor, and it was important to
see the Jewish community gather in mourning, students
saying words and prayers for peace, wishing for the end
to the suffering of civilians in this conflict,” he said. “Our
grief over the dead and missing Israelis, which we feel
so deeply, should also spur us to imagine the grief and
hardship that so many Palestinians are going through.
We are two peoples united in tears and soil, plagued by
fanatics and false prophets. I hope the tsuris on our cam-
puses and in our communities can be transformed into
connection, engagement and mutual understanding.”
organization was organizing a vigil, we
said, ‘Why not us?’”
Rabbi Moishie Glitsenstein of Chabad
of Royal Oak was there to offer words of
comfort and blow the shofar to mark the
beginning of the Jewish month of Elul.
“We know what it is like to mourn for
the passing of a close loved one,” Rabbi
Glitsenstein said. “But at a time of shivah,
we all come together to mourn, even if we
did not personally know the person who
died. When one of us sits shivah, we come
and want to tell the mourner, this is not
only your problem or your pain. The pain
and mourning belong to all of us because
the people of Israel are all one big family.”
Rachel Lefkowitz of Southfield attend-
ed the event with her two oldest children
Deedee (sixth grade) and Jonah (fourth
grade) who attend Farber Hebrew Day
School.
“I think it’s incredibly important to be
connected like this and come together
for communal mourning, which we
are all feeling right now,” Lefkowitz
said. “Personally, up until now, this has
been a lonely experience. I wanted the
opportunity to join with the community
and I wanted my two oldest kids to feel
this, too.”
Attendees display the Israeli flag in front of the graduate library at
U-M on Sept. 4.
YEVGENIYA GAZMAN
About 100 people
came to the impromptu
vigil organized by
three young Jewish
community members.
PHOTOS BY YEVGENIYA GAZMAN
Attendees lit
candles for the
slain hostages.
SEPTEMBER 12 • 2024 | 25