October 7. – Their Voices Remain
Youtube
The events of October 7, 2023, left an indelible mark on Israeli society. Beyond the historical record, however, there are the individual stories of the people who experienced that day firsthand stories of fear, loss, courage, resilience, and extraordinary acts of solidarity. Preserving these personal voices is at the heart of Edut 710, an initiative dedicated to documenting and safeguarding the testimonies of those directly affected by the October 7 attacks.
Founded just two days after the attacks by a group of volunteers including filmmakers, historians, archivists, and mental-health professionals, Edut 710 has built a comprehensive video testimony archive designed to ensure that these experiences remain accessible to future generations. The project documents testimonies from communities and individuals across the areas affected by October 7, creating an important record of a pivotal moment in Israel's history.
In cooperation with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Israel, a selection of these testimonies has now been translated into German. The aim is to make these first-hand accounts accessible to German-speaking audiences and to enable a broader engagement with the personal experiences behind the events of October 7. Translation in this context is more than a linguistic exercise: it is a way of carrying individual voices across borders and ensuring that their stories can be heard, understood, and remembered by people who might otherwise have limited access to them.
The project also reflects the importance of dialogue between Israel and Germany. Personal testimonies can create a direct and human connection to historical events, allowing audiences to encounter experiences not simply as facts or statistics, but through the words and memories of those who lived through them. Making these testimonies available in German contributes to a deeper understanding of the experiences of Israeli society and creates space for reflection, education, and continued German-Israeli exchange.
Against this backdrop, an online commemorative event, jointly organized by the Network of Jewish University Lecturers (NJH), and EDUT 710, presented the translated testimonies and highlight the importance of using firsthand accounts for education purposes and academic research.