American Jewish Committee (AJC), the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, is offering guidance to business Employee Resource Groups, companies, and organizations on how to prepare for the anniversary of October 7 with suggestions on conducting a remembrance program and anticipating the needs of Jewish employees, including safeguards, resources, and thoughtful messaging.
AJC recognizes that every business and organization is different and has distinctive needs. We are here to help you thoughtfully address any issues or concerns with sound counsel and strategic guidance. Please contact us to discuss how we can assist.
Background
Tuesday, October 7, 2025, marks the second anniversary of the October 7 terror attacks in Israel, in which 1,200 people were brutally murdered, and 254 were taken into Gaza as hostages by Hamas terrorists. At the time this document was written, 48 people still remain captive in Gaza, including 2 Americans. Of the 48, only 20 are presumed to be alive.
October 7 represents the deadliest terror incident in Israel’s history, in which not only Israeli Jews, but also Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Israeli Arabs, and people from over 40 countries, including 43 Americans, were targeted and killed.
For the worldwide Jewish community, October 7, 2023 also marks the most significant loss of Jewish life in one day since the Holocaust, and remains a painful open wound that may still directly impact Jewish employees, staff, and their families.
Awareness
The October 7 attack occurred at the end of the 2023 Jewish fall holiday season on the holiday of Simchat Torah. This year’s fall Jewish holiday season will be a challenging time for the Jewish community. In the fall of 2025, the Jewish holiday season begins with Rosh Hashanah on the evening of September 22 and runs through the evening of October 15, with the anniversary of October 7 falling during the holiday of Sukkot, which is known in Jewish liturgy as “the time of our joy.” The whiplash of the anniversary coming during a season of joy may deepen the emotional dissonance for members of the Jewish community.
Be alert to the concerns of Jewish employees at a time when synagogues and other Jewish spaces face added risk and need increased security. It is now routine for synagogues to be protected by armed guards; it is important not to minimize the genuine security concerns that Jews face when attempting to live their lives openly as Jews. Employers must ensure that the security needs of Jewish staff are being met and that they remain safe and free from harassment when attending Jewish events or gatherings in their place of work, including virtual programs.
Be aware that many Jews have faced increasingly hostile rhetoric because of their real or perceived connection to Israel and Zionism. (Zionism is the movement for the self-determination and statehood for the Jewish people in their ancestral homeland, the land of Israel.) Some of that rhetoric has included deeply problematic messaging about October 7 that denies or minimizes the terror attack, or dehumanizes Israeli victims of October 7 (e.g., “no innocent Israelis”; tearing down or vandalism of hostage posters; denial of sexual assault committed against Israelis). It has also included attempts to reframe the violence and terror of October 7 as justified resistance, decolonization, or liberation.
Action
Review your company’s codes of conduct to ensure it covers employee behavior and harassment, and clearly outlines the consequences of violating any of the policies. While inflammatory or hateful speech may be permitted according to your company’s speech codes, language that minimizes or denies the impact of October 7, or vilifies Israel and Zionism (the belief that Jews have a right to live in their ancestral homeland, Israel), or engages in victim-blaming for the atrocities committed on October 7 will resonate painfully for many Jewish employees, especially when such rhetoric appears in the spaces where they work.
Ensure that your business has resources in place to address the wellbeing and mental health of Jewish employees at this stressful time. Make those resources known to your entire professional staff, and that all staff, including Jews and Israelis, have unfettered access to the support services they need with no gatekeeping or litmus tests.
Communication
In official and unofficial communications with employees, board members, or shareholders about the October 7 anniversary, avoid using contested or vague language that may unwittingly distort your messaging or dilute your support for Jewish employees at this difficult time.
There have been devastating civilian Israeli and Palestinian casualties as a result of the October 7 attack and the Israel-Hamas war that followed. However, it can be painful and triggering to Jews when October 7 victims are not given due recognition on their own terms, separately and distinctly from the casualties resulting from the ensuing war. Avoid incorrectly referring to those killed on October 7 as victims of war, military incursion, or occupation. These designations misread the sequence of events that resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians in southern Israel, and can inadvertently promote the narrative that there are no innocent Israelis. For similar reasons, messaging about October 7 should avoid comparative accounts of Palestinian deaths that have ensued during the subsequent war. These deaths also deserve acknowledgment on their own terms, and should be addressed separately from messaging about the October 7 terror attacks. We suggest finding a different occasion to acknowledge civilian victims of the war in Gaza.
Learn More
Understanding the impact of October 7 on the Jewish community begins with being mindful of Jewish lived experiences and the history of anti-Jewish violence. AJC offers expert-led educational programming on this history and its impact on Jewish collective memory. We also offer in-person educational programming on navigating working together in community, including guidance on fostering respect for Jewish history, traditions, and identity. Consider learning more about the Jewish community by attending an in-person event this year outside of the workplace.
AJC can help. Contact us to learn about opportunities in your region, request a workshop or presentation, or if you need sound counsel or strategic guidance.
Suggestions for a One-Hour Remembrance Program:
- Welcome and Framing from Jewish ERG Leader (5 min)
- Welcome from Company CEO (3-5 min)
- Introduction of Speaker (2 min)
- Invited Speaker, potentially a family member of a hostage or victim (20-25 min)
- Musical Interlude / Video (3-5 min)
- Names Reading (10 min)
- Prayer Reading (2 min)
- Closing Thoughts and Thank You (3-5 min)
To download a PDF of this information, click here.
