wave of antisemitic crimes in the Metro
Detroit area — including multiple
neighborhoods littered with hateful
flyers and the vandalism of the Max
M. Fisher Federation Building in
Bloomfield Township — could not keep more than
4,000 members of the Jewish community away from
attending a somber commemoration to mark the
first anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre and terror
attacks in Israel.
Sponsored by the Michigan Board of Rabbis,
“October Seventh — One Year Commemoration”
was held at Congregation Shaarey Zedek (CSZ) in
Southfield, the same place that welcomed the com-
munity for an emergency vigil just days after the
2023 attacks.
As they were ushered into the building under
tight security, attendees were given a sticker
designed by the Jewish Agency for Israel featuring
a painted picture of the kalanit — the national
flower of Israel that has become a symbol of grief
among the shrines of those killed at the site of the
Supernova music festival. The stickers include the
Hebrew word nizcor, we will remember. Everyone
was also given a small card with the name and
photograph a victim of the massacre or a fallen IDF
soldier.
Attendees were also invited to write reflections
about the past year on postcards to be delivered
to the Jewish Federation of Detroit’s partnership
region in Israel’s Central Galilee.
CSZ Rabbi Aaron Starr, prior to welcoming the
Michigan Board of Rabbis to the bimah for opening
prayers, offered words of unity and strength. He
urged the community to remember the victims,
support the hostages and stand with Israel — rein-
forcing the message of unity and resilience.
One year ago, Rabbi Starr said, we gathered in
this sacred space to make sense of the pogroms of
Oct. 7.
“We continue to try to process the loss of life and
the suffering inflicted against us,” he added. “We
continue to worry desperately about the remaining
hostages, and we worry about our family who con-
tinues to be under attack.”
Despite the pain, Rabbi Starr emphasized the
resilience of the Jewish people, citing words from
the Book of Exodus: ‘The more the Israelites were
oppressed, the more they grew.’
“Here we are now, one year later, still sad and
angry, but also incredibly emboldened. In addition
to Israel’s war of self-defense, we’ve responded to
our enemy’s senseless hatred by performing count-
less acts of unyielding love.”
After a moment of silence, members of the
Michigan Board of Cantors performed “Acheinu,” a
prayer for the release of the Jewish and other cap-
tives taken on Oct. 7.
IDF SOLDIER TELLS OF HIS EXPERIENCES
IDF reservist Alon Lachman began his relation-
ship with the Detroit Jewish community in 2014
as a Tamarack camper and then a Shinshin (Israeli
8 | OCTOBER 17 • 2024
J
N
Thousands attend a commemoration of the Oct. 7 terror attacks.
STACY GITTLEMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER | PHOTOS BY JOHN HARDWICK
OUR COMMUNITY
ON THE COVER
Shaarey Zedek
Rabbi Aaron Starr
gave the opening
address to the
assembly.
in Grief and Strength