Join us for a powerful evening as we mark the third anniversary of the October 7th attacks—a time to remember, reflect, and look toward a future filled with hope.
5 pm – Community Dialogue/Roundtable (optional) – a time to reflect and share with the community in a safe setting.
7 pm – “Building Hope” with Israel Elson Fellow, Yakir Englander, a powerful reflection on how we can find strength, purpose, and hope in the aftermath of unimaginable loss.
Come to both programs or one—you decide.
As you enter the building, take a moment to experience Wings of Hope, our new art installation honoring those we lost and symbolizing resilience, healing, and hope. We will gather for a brief ceremony to recognize the significance of the installation and remember the lives forever changed by October 7th.
Come together with us to remember, reflect, and—most importantly—build hope for the future.
Yakir Englander is the Senior Director of Leadership programs at the Israeli-American Council and founder of Sacred Roots, New Branches, a private consulting practice. He also teaches at the Academy for Jewish Religion. Raised in Israel’s Hasidic community, Englander left Ultra-Orthodoxy and served in an elite IDF unit tasked with identifying human remains—an experience that profoundly shaped his worldview. He formerly served as volunteer director and Vice President of Kids4Peace, an interfaith youth movement in Jerusalem. Guided by the motto “Nothing human is strange to me,” he connects deeply across diverse backgrounds. A Fulbright scholar, Yakir has held visiting professorships at Harvard Divinity School, Northwestern, Rutgers, Hebrew University, and the Shalom Hartman Institute. His two books on body and sexuality have transformed discourse within Israeli religious societies. Today, he lives in an intentional community in Vermont, practices mystical spirituality, Daf Hayomi, and shamanic embodiment.
