Penn State Student Groups Hosting Events for Oct. 7 Anniversary

Penn State Hillel and Penn State Students for Justice in Palestine are holding separate events this week in observance of the third anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks in Israel. 

The groups have scheduled events throughout the week, including a protest, film screening and vigil led by Students for Justice in Palestine and memorial activities, a conversation with an Oct. 7 hostage survivor and other events from Hillel. 

Penn State Hillel 

Penn State Hillel has several events planned this week to mark the anniversary and remember those affected by the Oct. 7 attacks. 

Hillel hosted a conversation and question-and-answer session Monday with Omer Shem Tov, an Israeli who was taken hostage during the Oct. 7 attacks and later released. The event was held at Hillel’s 80 S. Garner St. location and required registration. 

On Tuesday, Hillel will host “Recipes with Memory” at the Gutterman Family Center at 6:30 p.m. Participants will prepare favorite meals of people who were killed in the attacks. 

Wednesday’s events on the third anniversary of the attacks include a “Human Stories” exhibit on the HUB Lawn from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The exhibit is based on Israeli journalist Lee Yaron’s book “10/7: 100 Human Stories,” and seeks “to preserve the humanity of those who suffered, and honor the memory of those who were killed… [so] that by sharing these stories — human stories of everyday people — we can foster greater understanding and insight and help bring about a world without suffering,” according to Hillel International.

TIDES therapists will be available at the Gutterman Family Center from 2 to 6 p.m. 

Hillel will also hold “Stickers of Meaning” at the Gutterman Family Center from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. The event will provide a space for participants to remember, share, honor and light candles together. 

On Thursday, Hillel will hold “Challah for Hope” at 6 p.m. at the Gutterman Family Center. Participants will make chocolate chip cookies based on the favorite recipe of Itay Chen, a 19-year-old dual Israeli-American citizen who was serving in the Israeli military when he was killed during the Oct. 7 attacks. His remains were returned in November 2025 after being held in Gaza for 760 days. 

Penn State Hillel is the foundation for Jewish campus life, supporting more than 5,000 Jewish students and offering social, cultural and educational programs throughout the year.

Students for Justice in Palestine 

Penn State Students for Justice in Palestine began its week of action Monday with a “Pick a Side” display on the HUB Lawn from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

On Tuesday, the group is scheduled to screen “The Voice of Hind Rajab” at 6:30 p.m. in Wartik Laboratory Room 110. The 2025 film, directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, is based on emergency call recordings involving 5-year-old Hind Rajab. 

The group will hold a protest at the Allen Street Gates at 6 p.m. Wednesday. The protest is titled “End the Genocide for the Living, the Martyrs, and the Land.”

A “Vigil for Our Martyrs” is scheduled for Thursday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center patio, honoring people who died in the war. 

Students for Justice in Palestine is a recognized Penn State student organization made up of undergraduate and graduate students. The organization describes itself as advocating for “justice and self-determination of the Palestinian people.” 

The group says it provides a community for Palestinian, Arab and allied students and organizes around Palestinian liberation. 

The organization has held similar weeklong events on Penn State’s University Park campus in previous years, including memorial displays, protests, educational events and other activities. 

On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, firing rockets and crossing the border into Israeli communities, military bases and the Nova music festival. About 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage and brought to Gaza, according to the Associated Press. The attack prompted Israel to declare war on Hamas and launched the ongoing war in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of an estimated 75,000 Palestinians and 2,000 Israelis.