Most events honoring those killed and taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, carry a somber tone. But a new WashU students Oct. 7 remembrance looks very different. Current senior Jack Resin and 2025 alum Zev Kupferman set out to reclaim Israeli, Zionist and Jewish pride — by throwing a massive party.

“We thought there had to be a more joyful way to get everyone together and actually celebrate those identities,” Resin said.

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During the summer of 2024, the pair went to a Tribe of Nova exhibit in Los Angeles and took their mantra, “We will dance again,” to heart.

“That felt so visceral to us,” Resin said, “If the goal is not just being proud and happy, but literally to embody what these people died celebrating so freely, we should be able to do that in their honor.”

Building the WashU students Oct. 7 remembrance

The first Club TLV event, held in the fall of 2024, sold over 300 tickets. Between that and a second event last spring, the pair raised $10,000 for Tribe of Nova through ticket and T-shirt sales. On Sept. 18, Club TLV returns—this time at the Garage at Music Quarter downtown, with Israeli music, flags, merchandise and cocktails like “Sex on Gordon Beach.”

A safe space for WashU students Oct. 7 remembrance

Resin and Kupferman set out to create an environment where they could celebrate Israel openly and without criticism—something that felt especially important after protests erupted on campuses nationwide, including at WashU, in response to Israel’s actions following Oct. 7. Resin noted that the national climate made it all the more vital to be outspokenly pro-Israel, particularly for students who are new to WashU.

“The freshmen, sophomores [and] transfers we speak to, they’re like, ‘I can’t believe that this space exists and that our campus is so openly and proudly pro-Israel and pro-Jewish and pro-Zionist,’” Resin said.

In addition to advocating for Israel in traditional ways, Kupferman wanted to cultivate an environment of fun that still advanced a message he believes in.

“I never felt it was my calling to defend Israel on campus [and] be one of those activists,” he said, “I just wanted to lead by example and showcase my pride, not constantly be stuck in a debate that feels like a losing battle these days.”

He and Resin applied for micro-grants to help cover the cost, but for the first event paid for part of it themselves because they could not secure enough funding. Since then, they have partnered with WashU Hillel, which has helped them finance the event.

Despite initial financial hurdles Kupferman said the first event was a massive hit.

“The lights went on at 12:40 a.m., they kicked us out and it was probably [the] peak part of the night,” he said. “We ended on such a good note that a lot of people really wanted more.”

Resin is proud not only to have created a space that openly celebrates Israel, but also to have brought together the Hillel, Chabad and Greek life communities—groups that, he notes, rarely come together for Jewish events. For him, this unity has rekindled the spirit of the original Nova Festival.

Spreading the WashU students Oct. 7 remembrance idea

After the first event friends at other universities reached out about wanting to set up their own Club TLV. Resin, who graduates in May, hopes the event will spread around the country especially to colleges that have seen a drastic increase in antisemitism.

“I think that there is genuine interest and demand,” he said. “If we’re able to become enablers for campuses everywhere to be united and proud in this mission that will be a real success.”

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