Mar 8, 2009 -- Over 450 young women from seminaries all over Israel gathered for an Erev Achdut, an evening of unity, at Yeshurun Synagogue in Jerusalem’s City Center on Feb. 23, to remember the eight students who were killed one year ago at Yeshivat Merkaz Harav in Jerusalem. The event was sponsored by Yeshiva University’s S. Daniel Abraham Israel Program, in conjunction with B’Lev Echad’s “8 for 8 Mitzvah campaign,” in advance of the worldwide Hachnasat Sefer Torah [dedication] of eight Torah scrolls that took place on Feb. 24. The eight Merkaz Harav students were murdered on March 6, 2008, when an Arab resident of East Jerusalem infiltrated the campus and opened fire in the beit midrash [study hall]. “It was very moving to walk into the shul and see so many girls from so many different seminarie,” said Ora Weinbach, from Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim. “It’s one thing to talk about unity in your own school and with your own friends, but it’s very powerful when you know that those listening to speeches about unity are different than you are, and come from their own different perspectives.” Rina Mirzoeff, of Sha’alvim for Women, agreed. “Our purpose of being there was respect for these boys, and unity for the Jewish nation. The boys were truly tzaddikim [righteous people], and we must preserve their memories.” Three students—Lauren Weiss from Shaalvim, and Elisa Karp and Gabrielle Kaplan from Midreshet Lindenbaum—read poems that were written by Yonadav Hirschfeld, one of the students killed in the attack. Smadar Rosenzweig, a Judaic studies professor at Stern College for Women, spoke of the appropriateness of a gathering such as this on Rosh Chodesh [the beginning of the month], a night which is traditionally celebrated by women. She also emphasized the concept of arvut [responsibility] by explaining the concept that Jews cannot fulfill our mitzvah [good deeds] obligations, if others have not fulfilled theirs. The speeches were followed by inspiring songs led by Rina Coren, a faculty member at Midreshet Moriah. The event culminated B’lev Echad’s 8 for 8 Mitzvah Campaign, in which many of the seminaries participated. For the eight days preceding the yahrtzeit, a selection of mitzvot were explored in memory of the students, who exemplified these mitzvot. The mitzvah of Feb. 23 was mitzvat ahavat Yisrael, to love your fellow Jew. Stephanie Strauss, the assistant director of YU’s S. Daniel Abraham Israel Program, explained that although Yeshiva is not affiliated with Merkaz Harav, the University felt it was appropriate to remember the tragedy as a show of support for fellow Jews. “Tragedy tends to serve as a trigger, to motivate Klal Yisrael [the people of Israel] to do very important and wonderful things. As an umbrella organization, Yeshiva University had the opportunity to gather many students together in the spirit of achdut and ahavat Yisrael [love for Israel]. An event such as this has potential to inspire our students, and elevate their sense of Jewish unity and communal responsibility.”