Motivational Monday: Risa Rogers Joins Panel for Film "We Will Dance Again"

by Risa Rogers, SSLI '25

Recently, on October 10, I was invited to attend a panel discussion about the new We Will Dance Again movie. The discussion was one of the many panels that was being hosted by Project Healthy Minds, a non-profit organization dedicated to wellness and mental health, for World Mental Health Day. We Will Dance Again is about the Nova Music Festival, where about four-hundred music-lovers were slaughtered by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023. The film, which includes real footage and phone calls from October 7, was released on September 24, 2024, almost one year after the deadly attack on Israel. The panel members included Leo Pearlman, one of the co-producers of the movie, Daniel Vaknin, a Nova survivor who was a DJ at the festival, Leat Rubin Unger, cousin of hostage Omer Shem Tov, and Susan Zerinsky, former President of CBS News. Each panel member shared their story, and they all discussed how we should move forward after this traumatic event.

Risa Rogers attends panel for We Will Dance Again. (J. Rogers)

Trauma, specifically generational trauma, was a key discussion point among the panelists. The Jewish people have faced trauma for hundreds of thousands of years. Over the past one hundred years, however, we have faced countless wars and attacks just because we are Jewish; the Holocaust, the Six Day War, the Yom Kippur War, and the Lebanon War are just a few. Even if our generation did not live during the Holocaust, our family members who survived carry trauma with them that has been passed down to us. Both Daniel’s family and Leo’s family have experienced trauma since the Holocaust, and they shared how they grew up surrounded by people who did not want to talk about what they went through. Daniel shared that his grandparents never really spoke about the Holocaust; however, he finds it important to share his story.

The panelists spoke about how integral it is that we move forward with resilience after October 7. We can not let our fear and sadness hold us back. Daniel has traveled all around the world sharing his story. Although he opens more emotional wounds every time that he speaks, he understands that he cannot be ashamed. For the past 380 days, he has gotten out of bed and helped make the world a better place. Something personal he shared was that he did have trouble getting out of bed right after October 7. However, every day, his dog reminded him to wake up to go on walks. Daniel’s brothers, parents, and grandparents have also helped him heal from his trauma. Furthermore, Daniel explained that an unbreakable bond has been created between survivors because they all understand each other’s pain and feelings. Having a support system is essential when recovering from trauma and learning how to move forward, and this was emphasized throughout the discussion.

The purpose of We Will Dance Again is for it to serve as a historical record. The world cannot deny that the events occurred. Similar to how there are Holocaust deniers, there are October 7 deniers. By sharing the true stories, there will hopefully be fewer deniers in the world, and there will be more people who stand with the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

I am grateful for having had the opportunity to be invited to attend this important event and discussion. Although being a Jewish teenager in today’s world is difficult because of the constant fear and worry about antisemitism, I must always remember to advocate for my people, the Jewish people. October 7 is a day that will forever be ingrained in our minds, and this day must never be forgotten. Advocating, spreading truth, and being resilient were major themes of the discussion. As the panelists explained, we must always remember to “stand up, speak out, and be proud.” עם ישראל חי.

Risa Rogers is an editor for Paw Print Now and has been published on the site since December 2021. Risa is currently a senior at the Schechter School of Long Island and can be reached at the following email address: rrogers25@schechterli.org