The European Union of Jewish Students on Wednesday launched a campaign at the European Parliament marking three years since the Hamas-led October 7 massacre, distributing postcards with photographs and personal stories of people murdered that day.
The initiative, titled “Postcards from October 7th,” is intended to focus attention on individual victims rather than the overall death toll, while also urging European lawmakers to speak publicly about the attacks and confront antisemitism across the political spectrum.
European Union of Jewish Students campaign gives MEPs postcards bearing the names and stories of people murdered on October 7
(Photo: Courtesy)
Each postcard carries the story of a person, couple, siblings or family killed on October 7, 2023. Among those featured are Inbar Shem Tov, Tchelet Zohar, brothers Gideon “Gigi” and Aviad Rivlin, couple Noa Englander and Noam Efraim, Lin Dafni, Daniel “Dandi” Peled and the Kutz family.
EUJS said Members of the European Parliament receiving the postcards are being asked to share the stories on social media, name the victims publicly and use their platforms to mark the anniversary.
The group said the campaign is also meant to draw attention to rising antisemitism in Europe since October 7. It called on European political leaders to confront antisemitism consistently, whether it comes from the far right, Islamist extremism, the far left or the political center.
At the same time, EUJS stressed that the memory of those killed on October 7 should not be used to promote racism, anti-Muslim hatred, hostility toward Palestinians or migrants, or other forms of discrimination.
The organization also called for continued political dialogue with Israel, arguing that criticism of Israeli policy should not replace engagement or spill over into hostility toward Jewish communities in Europe.
“Three years after October 7th, we refuse to let the people murdered that day become numbers,” EUJS President Hanna Veiler said. “Every person had a family, friends, dreams and a future. With every person murdered, an entire world was destroyed.”
“That is why we are bringing their stories directly to the European Parliament,” she said. “We are asking every MEP to read the postcard they receive, say their names and use their platform to make sure their stories are heard.”
Veiler said remembrance alone was insufficient.
“Europe must act. Antisemitism must be confronted wherever it comes from, whether from the far right, the far left, Islamist extremism or the political center,” she said. “There can be no political exceptions when it comes to antisemitism, and no political camp should use this campaign to point only at the antisemitism of somebody else.”
“Three years after October 7th, our message to Europe’s political leaders is simple: use your voice, use your platform and use your power. Remember, speak up and act.”
Alongside the physical campaign in the European Parliament, EUJS is running a Europe-wide digital campaign under the hashtag #PostcardsFromOctober7th. The organization said it plans to share the stories of the victims featured in the project and encourage young Europeans to challenge antisemitism when they encounter it.
EUJS, founded in 1978 and based in Brussels, represents Jewish student and young adult organizations in 36 European countries and says it represents about 160,000 young Jews.