A new cultural initiative aimed at preserving the memory of the October 7 Hamas attacks is set to debut with a staged reading at the Habima Theatre in Tel Aviv on October 6 and 7. The production, titled *Love at the End of the Tunnel*, tells the story of Aviva and Keith Siegel, former hostages whose love endured through their captivity.
This reading marks the inaugural event of the October 7 Global Memorial Project, an international effort to commemorate the attacks through various artistic and documentary mediums, including theater, film, exhibitions, and literature. The initiative was launched in anticipation of the third anniversary of the attacks, with the goal of sharing survivors’ accounts and documenting the events for future generations both in Israel and abroad.
Eytan Schwartz, who previously led international affairs for the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality, founded the project. Since the outbreak of the ongoing conflict, Schwartz has redirected his focus toward chronicling the events of October 7. The play about the Siegels is a collaboration between Schwartz and playwright Michal Aharoni and features performances by actors Sandra Sade and Moni Moshonov. Plans are also underway to bring the production to audiences in the United States.
In addition to *Love at the End of the Tunnel*, the project is developing a second theatrical work—a one-person play based on the story of former hostage Omer Wenkert—set to premiere in 2027. Schwartz and Meron Sasson are co-writing this production. The initiative is further expanding into film, working on an English-language feature in partnership with Kastina Communications.
Funding for these productions comes from a network of philanthropists, foundations, and organizations committed to documenting and memorializing the events of October 7. The project builds on previous documentary efforts, including two films produced with Kastina Communications and philanthropists Carol and Joey Low: *Screams Before Silence* and *The Children of October 7*.
*Screams Before Silence*, featuring interviews conducted by Sheryl Sandberg, explores the sexual violence perpetrated during the Hamas attacks. This documentary has been screened at the White House, the U.S. Congress, and numerous parliaments worldwide, broadcast on 20 television networks, and translated into 18 languages. *The Children of October 7*, featuring conversations between social media influencer Montana Tucker and child survivors, has been acquired by Paramount+ for streaming in 20 countries.
The project also facilitates visits by international journalists and influencers to the attack sites in southern Israel. It contributes to *From Here We Rise*, a video-mapping installation by photographer Ziv Koren and writer Noam Horev that chronicles the three years since the massacre. This installation currently is displayed on the rooftop of the Azrieli Mall in Tel Aviv.
Supporting the initiative is an advisory board composed of survivors, bereaved family members, and experts in documentation, diplomacy, and communications. Members include Israel Prize laureate Dr. Cochav Elkayam-Levy; Anat and Shimon Elkabetz, founders of Sivan’s House in Kibbutz Kfar Aza; massacre survivor Ella Shani; Dr. Tsuriel Rashi of Ariel University; Uwe Becker, Germany’s commissioner for combating antisemitism in Hesse; Eran Masas, recipient of Israel’s Medal of Civilian Heroism; and nation-branding expert Joanna Landau.
“Documenting the stories of October 7 is the mission of our generation,” Schwartz said. “On that terrible morning, we awoke not only to a catastrophe of biblical proportions, but also to a machinery of denial on a scale humanity had never before witnessed. This new initiative is one piece of a much larger mosaic of people and organizations around the world working to ensure that the memory of these events continues to live on for generations to come.”