An Israeli College Community Remembers 50 People It Lost on October 7

Located less than two miles away from the Gaza border, and the only college in the Gaza Envelope, Sapir College currently has 8,000 students enrolled. It’s a diverse student body that includes Jewish and Bedouin students who mostly come from the southern region of Israel.On Tuesday, students and faculty gathered together to remember the 50 members of its college community including students, alumni, staff and faculty who were murdered by Hamas terrorists within a single day three years ago.“October 7 changed Sapir College and our region forever. We will never forget the 50 members of our community whom we lost, and we will always carry their memory with us,” said Professor Nir Kedar, president of Sapir College.Among those murdered that day were Cindy Flash, 67, and her husband Igal, 66. Cindy had worked as a coordinator for the Department of Administration and Policy Public Policy at Sapir College. She had retired earlier in 2023 and was enjoying her retirement alongside her husband, Igal, an agronomist and farmer who was an expert in cotton growing and irrigation. He was also a faculty member of Sapir College.A native of St. Paul, Minnesota, Cindy had moved to Israel several decades ago to volunteer on a kibbutz where she met her Israeli husband, the son of Holocaust survivors. She was known for love of singing and her peace activism.The couple, who had two grandchildren, lived in Kibbutz Kfar Aza, one of the hardest-hit communities on October 7, where 62 people were killed and 19 others abducted. Cindy and Igal Flash tried to hide away in their safe room as the Hamas terrorists mercilessly attacked their kibbutz, beginning with the western side where mostly young families lived. They managed to exchange texts messages with their three daughters as they hid in the safe room. A total of 250 terrorists ended up taking over Kibbutz Kfar Aza within an hour, massacring families, burning homes, and taking others hostages.For five days, it was unclear what had happened to Cindy and Igal but their family was eventually informed that their bodies had been found.At the Sapir memorial ceremony, in addition to Cindy and Igal flash, 48 other names of people who lost their lives were read out loud. The Yizkor Jewish memorial prayer was recited, and memorial candles were lit.Sapir College underwent major changes following the October 7 attacks. More than 1,000 students and hundreds of employees were evacuated, approximately 1,000 students were called up for reserve duty. The campus became a military zone.Despite the horrors of October 7, the president of Sapir College still took an optimistic tone at the memorial ceremony.“Our responsibility is also to look forward,” Professor Kedar said. ““Our goal is not simply to rebuild what existed before, but to build a stronger, more vibrant Western Negev, a region where young people choose to live, study, work, and build their futures.”In the three years since the attacks, Sapir has expanded its role in the reconstruction and economic development of the Western Negev through new academic programs, industry partnerships and technology initiatives. It is the largest employer in the area surrounding Gaza and is expanding its presence in the region’s high-tech sector, including initiatives in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.A major part of that effort is a new technology campus in the nearby city of Sderot, which is being established with the Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Council, the Sderot Municipality and the Tkuma Directorate — the government body established on Oct. 19, 2023, to lead the revival of communities in southern Israel affected by the Oct. 7 attack — with an investment of NIS 130 million. Sapir is also expanding programs in computer science, data science, industrial engineering, agricultural and food technology, and product management. Over the next five years, the college plans to double both its student body and its number of academic programs.“From social entrepreneurship to research, technology and high-tech, Sapir is helping drive the innovation and growth that will build a better future for the region,” Professor Kedar concluded.

An Israeli College Community Remembers 50 People It Lost on October 7

An Israeli College Community Remembers 50 People It Lost on October 7

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