On the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, a tree at Hawthorne Elementary School was dedicated as a living memorial for the victims and those who are still being held hostage. Students, parents and teachers gathered for a ceremony led by the Beverly High School Jewish Club, the Israel Club and the Jewish Student Union. City Council and the Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD) Board of Education attended the ceremony to speak and to add a yellow ribbon to the tree, which symbolizes solidarity with hostages in Gaza and is a way of advocating for their safe return.
“As I think back about what has occurred in the last year, and I think about your generation, I just want to say I’m sorry,” said Councilmember Mary Wells at the ceremony. “I’m sorry that at your age, you had to confront this level of hatred and antisemitism and Jew hatred.”
