On Saturday at IC, teens participated in limmuds. The Hebrew word limmud can be translated as “to learn” in English. These sessions are meant to allow teens to learn about leadership and skills that can be applied to BBYO and to life after BBYO from inspiring speakers.

I attended a deeply impactful session on the power of stories and remembering. This session was a VR experience about October 7th, and hearing the stories of survivors. They also show some graphic and disturbing footage of the attacks, so that we will never forget.

The session began with hearing the story of Neyta. He was at a kibbutz in the Gaza envelope and took in victims of the NOVA music festival that day. We were then asked to say what qualities we thought Neyta had based on what he told us about himself.

One of the videos focused on Ofir Engle, a teenager who was in Hamas captivity until he was released in November 2023. He told his story of his capture and captivity, with different videos accompanying it. This video was filmed in the house he was taken from, and we saw the destruction that Hamas had created.

The part of the limmud that let me fully understand the impact of the stories that we were told was when we were asked to give the name of a holocaust victim or survivor besides Anne Frank. No one could, and they told us that is why they do this. So the people impacted by October 7th do not become a number and will be remembered, so that 'never again' can truly be now. 

People's stories help us remember them. They give us insight and allow us to know people despite differences and barriers. Remember people and stories, and share them with others; otherwise, we forget.