Or Shalom is partnering with The "Faces of October Seventh" project to bring a survivor of the October 7th terrorist attack in Israel to our congregation on Thursday, March 14 at 7pm.

In an effort to combat widespread misinformation and denial of the events that occurred on October 7th, the "Faces of October Seventh" project brings the firsthand experiences of those affected by the terrorist attacks to campuses and communities across North America. They believe there is no substitute for direct testimonies by those directly affected. Please join us in showing support as a community for this hero.

The survivor, Shalev Biton, is a 25 year old Israeli, who was born and raised in l village, in the north of Israel. He is a musician, guitar player, and singer. Today, Shalev lives in Tel Aviv, where he studies music production and sound design. He served in the IDF as a staff sergeant in a combat unit for 2.8 years and after his service, he traveled for a year in the world. He came back to Israel two weeks before the October 7th massacre.

On October 7th, Shalev was at the Nova festival with 5 of his friends. The party was a "Union celebration" for them, after 2 years of not seeing each other. When the terror attack started, they escaped separately from the shooting. After 5 miles, Shalev arrived at a ranch where he believed terrorists couldn't reach him. Unfortunately, after a while terrorists arrived at the premises with the intention to kidnap Jews and he had to hide. His life was saved thanks to the bravery of the owner of the ranch, a Bedouin-Israeli citizen that convinced them no Jews were nearby. By a miracle, he and all his friends came back home alive.

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Additionally, the survivor will be joined by Itai Biran to bring awareness to the current climate in Israel. Itai Biran has served as Consul for Political and Commercial Affairs at the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest since July 2022. In this diplomatic position, Biran oversees outreach to the business community and to elected officials in the nine-state Midwestern region covered by the Consulate. Previously, Biran worked in the Congressional Department of the North American Affairs Division in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A native of Haifa, Biran received his L.L.M. from Bar Ilan University after receiving his L.L.B. at Hebrew University of Jerusalem and served in the Israeli Navy for five years. Biran enjoys sports, especially running, history, nature and travelling. He is married to Nitzan and is the father of three children Yonatan, Noam and Yoav.

The Faces of October Seventh project is accepting donations to continue to deliver first-hand testimonies of what happened on October 7 in Israel. To donate, click HERE. Donate to the JUF's Israel Emergency Fund HERE.