"Unbroken" exhibit in Deerfield shares stories from Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel
Wednesday marked three years since Hamas terrorists launched attacks in Israel, killing more than 1,200 Israelis, including dozens of Americans and taking more than 250 people hostage.
Since then, the war has claimed tens of thousands more lives and sparked a humanitarian crisis.
On this night in Deerfield, a large crowd gathers and many are reflecting.
"I brought my three kids and my niece and nephew came with me," said Jane Sorokin.
Sorokin and her family are one of many who are taking in an exhibit entitled "Unbroken". It highlights the stories from the Hamas attack three years ago.
"We focused on the heroes of the day and try as much as possible to try to focus on the more positive days," she said.
October 7 commemorates a dark day — the deadliest in Israel's history when Hamas killed 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages at the Nova Music Festival.
"It wasn't a war where it was an army attacking an army. It was a terrorist organization attacking citizens," said Alison Pure-Slovin with the South for the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
This is the first year since the attacks that all of the hostages, both living and dead, have been returned, which makes this commemoration even more meaningful.
"What we're doing tonight, we're standing together as a community, saying not only do we remember, but we're committed to create a better future. A future that doesn't have extremism, future without terrorist organizations and we're going to work hard to make that happen," said Elad Strohmayer, consulate general of Israel to the Midwest.
While the pain of that day is still heavy, those of Jewish faith say they're determined the fighting in Israel will cease.
"I definitely believe the average citizen who are Palestinian and who are Israeli want peace," Pure-Slovin said.
"I think Palestinians have always wanted peace, but it's dignity, you know? There is no peace without dignity," said Nader Ihmoud.
Ihmoud is editor-in-chief of the print publication Palestine in America based in Chicago. He says Israel's response to the October 7 attacks has killed nearly 74,000 in Gaza.
"When they say October 7, that's a day for us as well. That's a day that, you know, a genocide began."
"Palestinians aren't going anywhere. We're not going anywhere. We want to find a way to live in coexistence. The terrorists, they don't want that," Strohmayer said.
A peace deal has been stalled over disagreements such as the disarmament of Hamas and Israel's military withdrawal from Gaza.
