Delicately Telling the Stories of the Children of October 7 in New Film
Survivors of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, including young heroes, gathered at the Museum of Tolerance alongside Israeli President Herzog and influencer Montana Tucker to share stories of unimaginable courage and hope
One child hid under his mother’s body to survive. Another lost her sister and saw her father taken hostage. Together, they represent just some of the harrowing stories of survival and loss inside Israel on October 7, 2023. These stories, which could have been lost to history, are now preserved in The Children of October 7th, a powerful documentary that recently premiered at the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem.
The documentary shares the stories of children who survived unimaginable horrors. Among them is Ella Shani Kozin, a Kibbutz Be’eri resident who recently turned 16. Speaking candidly, she shared the horrors her family endured during the attack.
(L-R) First lady Michal Herzog, President Isaac Herzog, Montana and Michelle Tucker, Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem CEO Jonathan Reis. (Arnon Bossani)
On October 7, about 400 to 500 terrorists invaded my kibbutz. My dad was murdered pretty early in the morning. Then, they set my uncle’s house on fire. They kidnapped my cousin … shot my grandma. We were rescued at around 5:30 p.m., but we saw unimaginable sights that I wish I didn’t see.
“On October 7, about 400 to 500 terrorists invaded my kibbutz,” Shani Kozin recounted. “My dad was murdered pretty early in the morning. Then, they set my uncle’s house on fire. They kidnapped my cousin … shot my grandma. We were rescued at around 5:30 p.m., but we saw unimaginable sights that I wish I didn’t see.”
He was the first person to be buried from my kibbutz, from Be’eri.
Shani Kozin’s grandmother survived after being shot multiple times and undergoing emergency surgery, while her father’s body was later discovered burned and shot. “He was the first person to be buried from my kibbutz, from Be’eri,” she added.
The film also tells the stories of other survivors, including Eitan Yahalomi, a 12-year-old held hostage in Gaza for 52 days; his best friend Amit Cohen, who narrowly escaped his burning home and later organized protests for Eitan’s return; and Rotem Matthias, who witnessed the murder of his parents and survived by hiding under his mother’s body.
The documentary features international social media influencer Montana Tucker, a prominent pro-Israel advocate, weaving together the voices of these young survivors, capturing their pain, courage, and determination to rebuild their lives. The film serves as a memorial and a call to action, ensuring the survivors’ voices resonate far beyond the museum’s walls.
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Montana Tucker at the ‘6:29: From Darkness to Light’ Museum of Tolerance exhibition, writing a note for the hostages. (Arnon Bossani)
I feel that I’ve always had a special connection with children. When I got the opportunity to make this documentary, of course, I immediately said yes.
Tucker, whose dedication to amplifying these voices has been unwavering since the Hamas attack, described the project as transformative. “I feel that I’ve always had a special connection with children,” she said. “When I got the opportunity to make this documentary, of course, I immediately said yes.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog and first lady Michal Herzog attended the event, which served as a powerful reminder of the strength that emerges in the face of terror. The film sheds light on the resilience of these young survivors, ensuring their voices are heard, and their experiences are never forgotten.
Ahead of the screening, President Herzog and Tucker met with the young survivors, their families, returned hostages, and families of those still held captive. This meeting underscored the profound significance of the stories being told and the unyielding spirit of those who continue to seek healing.
This past year has completely changed my life. When I started doing this, it was just something that I knew I had to do; it was something inside of me that told me I had to do this, and there was no other option.
During a panel discussion, Tucker elaborated on the deeply personal motivation behind her work. “This past year has completely changed my life. When I started doing this, it was just something that I knew I had to do; it was something inside of me that told me I had to do this, and there was no other option,” she said.
(R-L) Jonathan Reis, CEO of Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem; Rotem Matthias; Montana Tucker, pro-Israel advocate and influencer; Yael Idan, Alona Russo, and Ella Shani Kozin. (Arnon Bossani)
She drew parallels between the stories of the children she worked with and those of her own family. “My grandparents are Holocaust survivors, and I grew up hearing their stories my whole life. My grandmother, Lily, who is still alive today at age 96, was 13 years old when she was taken to Auschwitz. She had to see her mother get beaten up and dragged to the gas chambers.”
Reflecting on her social media platform, Tucker added, “I knew that if I had the opportunity to use my voice and my platform to share the truth—simply the truth—of what is happening, of what is going on, that’s why I’ve come back to Israel so many times. So that I could be with all of you and share the personal stories and combat this denial and propaganda going around.”
Her resolve has been bolstered by the positive feedback she has received. “A lot of the content that I have posted has made a difference. People comment saying, ‘Wow, you know what, I never saw it this way, thank you for sharing,’ or, ‘You’re really opening my eyes to something I never knew.’ Even the short clips from the documentary posted on Instagram have made such a huge impact already. I hope and pray it continues to make an even bigger impact, that the entire world hears these stories and changes the narrative.”
Directed by Asaf Becker, the film highlights the delicate balance of telling these heart-wrenching stories while ensuring the young participants felt safe during the process. “The stories are not easy to hear,” Becker said. “Each time I watch the film, it’s a stark reminder of the sheer reality of October 7.”
Tucket expressed her deep connection to these children’s stories. “It was really important for me, for the parents to feel comfortable, for the guardians to feel comfortable, for the children to feel comfortable with me,” she said. “These stories are so similar to what my grandmother would share with me [about the Holocaust]. I’m grateful that I have a platform of 14 million followers. If I have the option to share their stories and give their voices a platform, I knew I had to do it.”
The Museum of Tolerance, proud to host the premiere, emphasized the importance of preserving these stories. “We are very honored that Castina Productions chose us as a destination for this film,” said Jonathan Reis, the museum’s operations manager. “Such atrocities should not happen again, ever, in Israel or anywhere else.”
I’m not stopping until the hostages are back. I’ll continue sharing their stories and advocating for Israel until real change is made.
Tucker remains steadfast in her advocacy. “I’m not stopping until the hostages are back,” she said. “I’ll continue sharing their stories and advocating for Israel until real change is made.”
