As we mark the tragic anniversary of October 7, we honor the incredible spirit of resilience, resolve, and response expressed by Israelis throughout the nation. Following the initial days of trauma and devastation, Israelis refused to be victims and took action. They volunteered by the thousands to help their fellow citizens in need. And the Technion community was among them.

Beyond all that the Technion administration did to support students and secure the campus, the Technion Student Association, academic departments and faculties, and staff displayed inspiring solidarity. The collective spirit of volunteerism was truly remarkable and played an active and significant role in strengthening national morale and resilience after October 7.

A massive enlistment of volunteers recruited individuals who stepped forward in droves to help in any way they could. As word spread about these extensive efforts, the Technion received an increasing number of requests for assistance, each of which was addressed promptly. The following represents only a portion of the support extended by the Technion community in response to the challenges faced by the war.

Student, faculty, and staff volunteers provided substantial quantities of food, toiletries, equipment, and medical supplies to anyone in need throughout the country, including soldiers and displaced families. The Technion’s secondhand shop generously donated essential supplies — ranging from clothing to laptops — to displaced families living on campus.

Volunteers baked challahs, cooked meals, and organized blood drives. They helped farms pick, sort, and package produce due to a shortage of workers because of the IDF draft. They even helped farms get their products to market. Medical students learned trauma skills and volunteered in hospitals to help the wounded. Other students contributed by organizing and cleaning bomb shelters in Haifa and in the nearby city of Nesher.

Many students volunteered in day care centers and provided supplies and activities for displaced children living in hotels. Some 250 student volunteers taught schoolchildren forced to evacuate their homes and organized a donation of desks and chairs to establish a classroom at the Dan Panorama Haifa hotel.

No effort was too big or too small. From babysitting children of reservists to doing laundry for displaced families, when a need was identified, the Technion community responded.