One car drove by with the driver yelling, “Free Palestine,” but other than that, an Oct. 6 rally at Balboa Park in Encino—organized to keep attention on the hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza, one year after they were taken into captivity on Oct. 7, 2023—was peaceful.
Speakers at the rally included Yehuda Cohen, father of Nimrod Cohen, a soldier kidnapped on Oct. 7 and still being held hostage; American Jewish Committee Regional Director Richard Hirschhaut; Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks); activist Matthew Nouriel and L.A. City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield.
“We must never forget that unity is our greatest weapon,” Nouriel said, addressing the crowd, before leading the group—which numbered approximately 200 people—in the chant, “Am Yisrael chai!”
The organizer of the midday gathering was the Los Angeles chapter of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum: Bring Them Home Now. It coincided with a similar rally in the Pico-Robertson area, which drew hundreds of people, as well as pro-Israel solidarity rallies across the globe that marked the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ devastating attack on Israel.
In Europe, rallies held on the eve of the one-year anniversary took place in cities including London, Berlin, Paris and Rome. According to AP News, approximately a thousand people gathered in Brazil’s capital for a pro-Israel demonstration, and a similar pro-Israel demonstration was held in Melbourne, Australia.
Photo by Ryan Torok
At Balboa Park, rallygoers Zeev Rabinovitch and Elena Colombo held up a sign to commemorate the hostages still being held in Gaza. In an interview, Colombo—an Italian who was raised Catholic and converted to Judaism—said she felt obligated to turn out in support of Israel.
“I’m a Jew-by-choice, and I made a commitment to stand with Israel, and that’s what I’m doing,” she said.
Rallygoers dressed in yellow, the color of ribbons that have been used to honor the hostages, and they wore tape on their shirts marked with the number “365,” the number of days the remaining hostages have been held in captivity.
L.A. community members Debbie Paperman and Jessica Lipman helped organize the rally at Balboa Park.
On Oct. 6, the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Museum of Tolerance held a candlelight vigil to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the devastating Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel. The event, which took place at the exact moment of the Hamas attack one year ago, brought together over 400 community members, including interfaith leaders, survivors of the attacks, elected officials and dignitaries, in a moving tribute to those lost and a celebration of the resilience of those who survived
The highlight was the powerful testimony of Andrey Kozlov, a rescued hostage who recounted his harrowing experience and liberation. Kozlov’s emotional story served as a stark reminder of the enduring human spirit in the face of unimaginable terror. Tomer Peretz, an Israeli artist who was in Israel during the attacks and participated in the recovery of bodies afterward, also shared his firsthand account of the events, describing how the tragedy influenced his life and art. Peretz’s temporary exhibition, which reflects the emotional and personal toll of the attacks, is currently on display at the Museum of Tolerance and will be open to the public through Jan. 5.
This commemoration, which included remarks from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Simon Wiesenthal Center CEO Jim Berk, was more than a reflection on the past—it was a call to action for unity, understanding and the release of all remaining hostages.
The evening concluded with a deeply moving candle-lighting ceremony, where over 1,100 candles were lit, each representing the lives lost during the attacks, including 101 for the remaining hostages. The symbolic illumination of the museum underscored the solidarity of the Los Angeles community with those affected and the importance of ongoing education, dialogue and hope.
