Chabad at Binghamton hosted a traveling festival on Thursday evening to celebrate Jewish life on campus through music and art while remembering the lives of the six hostages killed by Hamas last week.

The event, held on the Old Dickinson Quad, was part of Chabad on Campus International’s “Let HERE Be Light” tour, which plans to visit 50 college campuses across the United States and Canada. Several outdoor booths were set up along the grass, offering food, merchandise and hands-on Jewish craft stations to eventgoers. A branded tour van was parked on the quad behind the center stage, where American-Israeli singer and influencer Nissim Black performed for the crowd.

“Each and every single one of you is a lamplighter, is an ambassador,” Rabbi Sruly Ohana from Chabad said in a speech kicking off the festival. “You’re standing on a college campus in America in a world which can have a lot of darkness, and each and every single one of you and you and you have the responsibility to make ‘let HERE be light.’ Take that darkness around you. Take that confusion. Take that kind of negativity. Don’t let that get to you. Don’t let that pull you down. Rather, transform it to positivity. Be strong. Be proud. Make ‘here’ in Binghamton University a place of light that could shine over the entire world.”

A memorial table in front of the stage stood in remembrance of each of the six hostages killed by Hamas, whose bodies were found last Saturday — Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alex Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, Ori Danino and Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin. A candle was placed in front of each victim’s photograph, and they were lit by Adira Greenwald, the president of the BU Zionist Organization and a senior majoring in business administration. Attendees were later invited to put their arms together and sing Acheinu, a Jewish prayer of hope, brotherhood and togetherness.

The service was led by Michal Levine, Chabad president and a senior majoring in Judaic studies, who shared some information about each hostage and their families.

“It’s been 335 days since October 7th, almost a full year,” Levine said. “It’s hard to fathom what’s truly going on. It’s easy to feel helpless, but we have the power to make a difference, so let us come together and spread light with pride in our Jewish identity. Join us in the singing and acts of Mitzvot surrounding us, so that Carmel, Alexander, Eden, Ori, Almog and Hersh’s neshamot should have an aliya and with the hope of a safe return of the remaining 101 hostages in Gaza. Whatever you do, you are adding to the domino effect of Jewish pride and resilence.”

Before the memorial ceremony, speakers thanked fellow students and University administrators — like Peter Nardone, the senior director of the University Union — for providing their support. A representative from Rep. Marc Molinaro’s office said it was an honor to be invited to celebrate “Jewish culture, heritage and the spirit of community on our college campuses.”

The crowd’s energy dialed up once Black took the stage and performed a variety of original releases, like “Scream,” “Fly Away” and “King of the World.” During his performance, he expressed grief for the hostages killed and their families and acknowledged those still held in captivity.

“I’m so thrilled to be coming to Binghamton University to spread some light & positivity during such a hard time for Jews on campuses,” Black wrote in a statement to Pipe Dream before his appearance. “We’re going to celebrate our Judaism for all to see & create a deep sense of Jewish Unity amongst the students. Students on campus need to know, now more than ever, that their identity, their culture, & their community is not something to hide from but instead, something to take pride in!”

Throughout the evening, students visiting the sign-in booth were able to grab a copy of JQuad, a magazine by Chabad on Campus designed as a guide to college life for Jewish students. Stickers of slogans like “Am Yisrael Chai!” and “Joyfully, Jewishly, Proudly” were also distributed. One booth gave students the opportunity to participate in the “Spread the Light Challenge” by drawing a card and doing the provided act of kindness for another person before handing the card to someone else.

The festival took place a day after a vigil honoring the lives of the six hostages was held on the Peace Quad, where a memorial was also established recognizing the 251 hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7.

“Tonight, members of the Jewish community gathered to bring light into the world during one of our most challenging times,” Greenwald wrote to Pipe Dream. “Since October 7th, our hearts have been pierced by immense pain and sorrow. Every day that our people endure the horrors of captivity, and every day we hear of another precious and innocent life taken, our hearts break again. The news this weekend reporting the brutal murder of six of our brothers and sisters after 330 days in Hamas captivity, punched us deep in the gut once again. These same gut-wrenching feelings we felt following the massacre on October 7th, and the 335 painful days since.”

The festival tour began on Wednesday at Cornell University and is expected to continue with stops at Siena College and the University at Albany next. Greenwald reflected on the Jewish community’s ability to remain resilient, despite shared hardship experienced by many since Oct. 7.

“It is this deep grief and pain that fortifies our resilience and draws us even closer together,” Greenwald wrote. “We are strong and resilient because of the brokenness we feel. In these times of darkness, we will find a way to channel our pain into something good and worthy, to bring the light. That is the strength of the Jewish people. That is why we’re gathered here tonight.”