BOSTON (WHDH) - People across Massachusetts and beyond gathered Monday to mark the one year anniversary of the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel.
One year after the attack, some people in Sudbury assembled to remember the lives lost at a vigil Sunday night.
“I think solidarity is really important,” said Sudbury resident Gabrielle Henkin. “The Jewish people have felt very alone for the past year. But we’ve also felt a sense of strength when we’re with each other.”
Hamas’ attack killed roughly 1,200 people, according to the Associated Press. Hamas took another 250 people as hostages. Most of the victims were civilians.
“It’s been a year of hell. It’s been a year of hell,” said Bonnie Polin Pomper, aunt of slain hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
On Oct. 7, Goldberg-Polin was abducted by Hamas during a music festival in Israel. He was held hostage for almost 11 months when he was executed just as Israeli forces were coming to rescue him.
“As my brother said during the eulogy, let him be remembered for a revolution — for a revolution of good. Let people do good things, let there be good in this world, and if that can tie back to Hersh, all the better,” Polin Pomper said.
A makeshift memorial for Goldberg-Polin, who led New Englanders on a trip to Israel, continues to grow in Brookline.
The Israeli military responded to the Oct. 7, 2023 attack with air and ground operations in Gaza. Recently, Israeli forces expanded operations in Lebanon after nearly a year of attacks by the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.
The war in Gaza has killed roughly 41,000 Palestinians, according to the AP. At least 1,400 people have died in Lebanon.
Closer to home, the Anti-Defamation League says antisemitic incidents in the last year have increased more than 200% compared to the same time period the year before. Many of the incidents were reports of physical assault and vandalism. A large number happened on college campuses and at Jewish institutions.
In various statements, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security have warned about possible violence.
“This is why the ADL is mobilized the way we are,” ADL CEO and National Director Jonathan Greenblatt told CNN on Sunday. “If you see something, say something.”
“We need people to report incidents,” Greenblatt said. “We need people to speak up. We should not be afraid in our own country.”
The FBI in its most recent announcement said there were no specific threats related to the October 7th anniversary.
Still, officials urged people to contact authorities if they see something suspicious.
Local events around the anniversary include a series of speaking events at Brandeis University in Waltham.
At Boston University, students read names of the 1,200 killed and displayed their photos, in addition to honoring the hostages.
Another memorial service took place at Harvard University. Within Boston, people gathered on Boston Common.
In Boston’s Theater District, Combined Jewish Philanthropies led an event at the Wang Theater honoring survivors and remembering victims.
Daniel Vaknine, who spoke at the theater, said his life was changed last Oct. 7 when he hid from missiles flying down on the Nova Music Festival.
“All this time, we had missiles above our heads, so we had to stop next to a bomb shelter. As we stopped and I opened up the door, gunshots started, we’re getting shot at, fired from everywhere,” Vaknine said.
The theater was at capacity, as thousands of people attended the event. Still, a few rows of empty seats were reserved for the remaining hostages in Gaza.
Gov. Maura Healey ordered all flags across Massachusetts to be flown at half-staff Monday.
Healey in a statement described Hamas’ attack as “horrific” and “indefensible.” She said grief and trauma from the attack “have continued to reverberate throughout the Jewish community” alongside a rise in antisemitism and hate.
“Each step of the way, I have been inspired by the resilience of Massachusetts’ Jewish community, which has come together with kindness and compassion to support each other in the face of unspeakable tragedy,” Healey said.
“Today, our hearts are heavy for those who have lost loved ones at the hands of Hamas,” she continued. “We remain resolute in our commitment to working toward the release of the remaining hostages and peace in the region.”
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)