‘Two years of suffering’: Montrealers hold commemoration of Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel
Posted October 20, 2025 10:22 pm.
Last Updated October 20, 2025 11:10 pm.
Many came together in Montreal on Monday night to mark over two years since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, when 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.
The tribute organized by Federation CJA honoured the courage of those who gave their lives to save others — like Montrealer Alexandre Look.
Look was one of the 370 people killed that day during a music festival in southern Israel. Using his body as a shield to save others, it is said Look helped save eight people.
“I’m proud of my son, but I really wish he hadn’t been such a hero. I mean, nothing wrong with hiding and trying to save yourself, but that’s just not who he was. And anyone who knew him wasn’t surprised by what he did, his actions that day. It’s so Alex,” said his mother, Raquel Look.
“What helped me after the terror attack that I experienced and after the loss of my friends is to help others,” said Nir Amitay, founder and CEO of Rimon Farm —a healing sanctuary for Israelis with PSTD. “In Hebrew, the word Natan, you can reverse it and it stills remain the same. Because when you giving to the others, you are getting back. So by helping others, I am helping myself.”
This commemoration was a time to reflect on two painful years.
“We found strength in our community, I mean, right here at Federation (CJA), number one, friends, family, our faith. And the legacy of Alex gives us strength,” Amitay said.
“In those times, I recommend to stick together to find meaningful things to do and to remember that we’re all together in this.”
News of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas brought relief, and some remain hopeful the end to violence will endure.
“It’s unbelievable, after two years of suffering, we are having them back in Israel with their families,” said the Consul General of Israel in Montreal for the Quebec and Eastern Canada. “Having said that, today, unfortunately, we buried two soldiers from the Israel Defense Force. Unfortunately, they are from my city, from my town in Israel, both of them from Modi’in. And so you see that the ceasefire is very, very fragile.”
“It was really important to me to come to Montreal today and say thank you,” added Amitay, who flew in from Israel for the commemoration.
“The people in Israel, we need you strong here and you are our back, and we will never again take each other for granted. Thank you so much for all the things that you’ve done for Israel since ever and especially in the past two years, we couldn’t do it without you,” he added.
The Israel-Hamas war has killed more than 68,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count. The ministry maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. Israel has disputed them without providing its own toll.
Thousands more people are missing, according to the Red Cross.
–With files from The Associated Press
