Infinite Light, An October 7th Memorial From Yitzchak Moully
The October 7th attack left the entire Jewish nation reeling from incomprehensible evil. With over 1,200 precious lives brutally taken, it was an act of violence unprecedented since our return to our homeland, our Holy Land. Mere numbers cannot convey the devastation as these were not anonymous names, grandparents, parents, children, siblings, friends and neighbors – all unique individuals whose lights were mercilessly extinguished. The loss reverberated in every home, community and town across the nation.
The brutal attack sought to defeat the Jewish spirit.
However, the Jewish people, fortified by an eternal bond to the Divine and to the land that transcends all darkness, are nevertheless compelled to find a way forward.
This large-scale public sculpture will take the form of a 10-foot tall yahrzeit memorial candle, with an eternal flame above. The candle’s exterior walls will have the 1,200 victims’ names intricately cut out of the walls, with the letters of their names used to create the flame.
As the names are cut out of the candle’s metal surface, they allow light to pass through, creating a powerful interplay of light and shadow. The negative spaces formed by the missing letter forms represent the profound absence and loss felt by the nation.
But the cut out letters themselves rise to form the eternal flame, in representation of the inextinguishable Jewish soul.
This duality captures both the devastating loss as well as the uplifting strength, resilience and hope of the Jewish people. The eternal flame reminds us that though these bright lights were extinguished far too soon, their memories, their legacies, and the eternal Jewish spirit will never be darkened.
We envision situating this memorial in a round plaza with a low stone wall, creating a sheltered refuge where visitors can sit and reflect. The sculpture will sit in the center, casting light and shadow in all directions, allowing visitors to become enveloped by the memorial’s presence and immersed in its atmosphere of solemn remembrance and resilient hope.
This powerful memorial ensures the more than 1,200 lives taken are never forgotten.
