Original Tisha B’Av documentary: Heroism and Faith amid the Tragedy of October 7th

(Jerusalem) – The ninth day of the Jewish month of Av, known in Hebrew as Tisha B’Av, is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. It is a day in which tragedy has struck the Jewish nation, and the world, over and over again. From the times of the Bible and the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem to the beginning of WWI and the opening of the Treblinka gas chambers during WWII, the day commemorates some of the worst tragedies that humanity has ever experienced.

To commemorate the day, Aish has created an original documentary film that delves into the tragedy and heroism of the worst attack in Israel’s history that occurred 10 months ago. The film, entitled ‘October 7th, Voices of Pain, Hope, and Heroism’, tells the story of five families of people who were attacked, killed, or taken hostage, on that fateful morning. The interviewees, Jen Airley, Iris Haim, Major Gen. (Ret.) Noam Tibon, Alon and Sheerie Mesika, and Julie Kupershtein, share tragic yet inspiring stories of heroism, and how they turned the pain of tragedy into hope and strength for many others.

Jamie Geller, Chief Media & Marketing Officer of Aish and the producer of the film spoke about what the project means to her: “This is one of the most meaningful projects I have ever produced. All my professional training has led to this moment and enabled me to use my expertise on behalf of the Jewish people. Bringing the stories of these heroes to the world is nothing short of humbling and rewarding.”

Geller added that the film is not simply a collection of stories of heroism or survival, but rather is a film that transcends the traumas that Israelis suffered and helps the viewer find empowerment, faith, and hope. “Since October 7th, the Jewish people in Israel and around the world have been living through an ongoing trauma. The stories in the film are not just a vehicle for empathizing with the pain of our brothers and sisters, but they serve as a guide to empower us and strengthen the collective Jewish soul. The inherent lesson here is that simply surviving the trauma isn’t enough, we need to transcend it, we need to thrive in the face of it. That’s how we win. I feel so privileged to have been entrusted to bring these stories of faith and hope to the Jewish people and to the world.”Julie Kupershtein, the mother of Bar Kupershtein who is still being held in captivity in Gaza by Hamas, told Geller during the filming of the documentary “My son isn’t in the hands of Hamas, he is in the hands of the Creator of the World”.

Rabbi Dov Ber Cohen, a Senior Educator at Aish and the co-host of the documentary, explained  why this film is of particular importance at this time. “The Jewish people have been through so much pain and tragedy this past year. The same has been true through many time periods in history, and yet we’ve never given up. We feel our pain, we don’t give in to it.  Instead, we get up, dust ourselves off, and become greater because of it. After the worst tragedy in human history, we came back to our land. We’ve used our land to spread morality, spirituality, technology, and civility, to the rest of the world around us. I always wondered how we managed to do it. Then I had the privilege to meet with these five families and see their resilience in the face of pain, and I witnessed how they all said, ‘I feel my pain, but I’m not a victim of it. I’m going to use it to create growth, purpose, connection, and unity amongst the Jewish people.’ After interviewing them, I began to understand the resilience of the Israeli people, and it truly amazes me.”

‘October 7th, Voices of Pain, Hope, and Heroism’ is approximately 90 minutes long. It will premiere on Tisha B’Av which falls on August 12th-13th. A 60-minute version can be ordered or requested by communities, synagogues, schools, and individuals here, for viewing on the day of here.