Scarred by October 7, first responder copes with his trauma by BBQing for soldiers

In the aftermath of the October 7 massacre, hosting barbecues for IDF soldiers has become a common way to support the troops.

For Yossi Hoffman, a dedicated volunteer with ZAKA — Israel’s disaster victim identification organization — this gesture has taken on a deeply personal significance, becoming something of a coping mechanism for working through the traumas of that day and those that followed.

On October 7, Hoffman was among the first volunteers to respond to Hamas’s brutal onslaught, in which thousands of terrorists invaded southern Israel, slaughtering 1,200 men, women, and children, and kidnapping 251 to the Gaza Strip.

A licensed gun-holder, Hoffman and three other armed ZAKA volunteers took an ambulance to Route 232, a main road connecting the Israeli towns and kibbutzim which sit on Gaza’s periphery, which saw some of the worst attacks. The four sped down the so-called “road of death” holding their pistols out of the open windows, ready to engage.

For the next 61 days, until December 7, 2023, Hoffman was one of the many volunteers who took on the grim tasks of recovering bodies and cleaning blood from vehicles set ablaze by Hamas.

The horrific scenes he encountered during the massacre and afterward have been seared in Hoffman’s memory, where they continue to haunt him.

“The stories, the pictures, and the videos that replay in my mind — I cannot forget them,” Hoffman said.

His recollections are filled with trauma: “All the naked bodies, all the rapes, all the pieces of bodies, all the babies.”

More than a year after confronting the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, Hoffman continues to grapple with the weight of his experiences.

“I saw bodies with numbers [on their arms], they [were] saved from the Holocaust and [Hamas] killed them in the kibbutzim,” he said.

Encouraged by ZAKA to seek therapy, Hoffman began working with a psychologist — but even they found the stories overwhelming.

“After a few weeks, he told me, ‘I can’t talk with you anymore because I’m not sleeping due to all of your accounts. You need to find someone else,’” Hoffman said.

In response, Hoffman redirected his energy toward putting on barbecues for soldiers serving in the south, a popular activity for those looking for ways to contribute to the war effort without picking up a rifle.

When donations for the cookouts dried up, Hoffman began raising money for them by offering paid tours of Gaza-area communities as well as the site of the Nova music festival, where he spent days sifting through wreckage and collecting remains.

All proceeds from the tours support the cookouts, which are often put on with the help of attendees after the tour.

Aside from raising funds and feeding troops, the tours give him a cathartic outlet to share the traumas he saw.

“As an eyewitness, I feel it is my duty to inform others about what transpired on October 7,” he said. Speaking publicly has proven therapeutic for him. “If I can talk in front of people, it is very beneficial for me.”

Tours begin and end in Jerusalem, and take participants to sites including the decimated Sderot police station where dozens of police and civilians were murdered, a memorial site near Moshav Tkuma made up of dozens of burnt-out cars destroyed during the attack, and a Gaza border community, where a local resident shares their experience on October 7.

The trips culminate in a barbecue for IDF soldiers. As of December 1, 2024, Hoffman has organized 258 such barbecues.

Participants are asked to contribute directly to their bus driver and the community member interfacing with the group that day. Additionally, attendees are encouraged to sponsor the barbecues via a GoFundMe link.

During the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, Hoffman held a barbecue at the Nahal Oz army base, his 251st cookout. A group of tour attendees joined him to set up the feast in a large outdoor seating area, where the army allows Hoffman and those on his tour to put on the cookouts.

Upon arriving, Hoffman unloaded his car and laid out an array of meats on folding tables: chicken, steaks, kebabs, hamburgers, and hot dogs.

“I feel better that I give to the soldiers [from] my heart, [through] good food,” Hoffman said, lighting a row of grills and delegating duties to attendees.

Aside from manning the grills, participants also helped chop vegetables for salad and lay out platters of hummus, pita, and an array of soft drinks.

Leah Milstein, a Tel Aviv resident who recently emigrated from New York City, heard about the tour through word of mouth, like most attendees.

“I can’t explain what the draw is, but we all feel it,” she said. “I think it really helps the soldiers. It shows them that they do have support, despite what the rest of the world might be saying about us.”

Milstein added that serving food to soldiers is a profound form of service.

“I mean, we feed people. What better way to be Jewish,” she said. “They don’t want to be fighting this war; they want to be home with their families, in their businesses.”

Hoffman, who spends his days working in video production, organizes the tours when he gets enough inquiries for an event via WhatsApp. Most tours are in English, reflecting their popularity among English speakers,

When inquiries come in via WhatsApp, Hoffman organizes the tours and hires a bus. He adapts his schedule weekly, based on interest levels. Despite the challenges posed by the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, his groups are diverse and hail from various corners of the globe.

Rena Stern, a Jerusalem resident originally from Passaic, New Jersey, attended one of Hoffman’s tours and described him as an exceptional individual.

“He not only facilitates all of this himself but also provides others the opportunity to contribute,” she noted.

Yaakov Rosenbaum of Lakewood, New Jersey, who heard about Hoffman’s initiative through a family connection, highlighted the importance of showing soldiers they are supported by people worldwide.

“It instills courage in them to continue their critical work,” he said.

On days when tour participants aren’t around to help, Hoffman enlists fellow ZAKA volunteers to assist with grilling and serving food at the Gaza border army bases.

While he has found a new therapist, many of the volunteers recognize that organizing these barbecues helps him heal.

“This is his way of processing his experiences. Some people go to the gym… for Yossi, it’s [about] helping other people,” said Menachem Blisko of Lawrence, New York, another tour attendee.

At the Nahal Oz army base, Hoffman was publicly recognized by the unit commander, and soldiers expressed their gratitude for the time and effort invested in providing such meaningful meals.

Milstein emphasized the broader significance of Hoffman’s tours and barbecues.

“There are many misconceptions about October 7, and his voice needs to be amplified,” she said. “His firsthand account is just as crucial as the documentation of the Holocaust.”