Aventura proclaims October 2025 Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Oct. 7 Day of Remembrance; survivor recounts festival attack

At its Oct. 8 meeting, the Aventura City Commission issued two proclamations and heard testimony from a survivor of the Oct. 7 festival attack.

Mayor Howard Weinberg read a proclamation recognizing October 2025 as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and singled out Commissioner Amit Bloom as an advocate for early detection and screening. The mayor presented the proclamation to Commissioner Bloom, who responded that the declaration held “a deep personal meaning” and noted the timing fell a day after the second anniversary of Oct. 7 in Israel.

The commission also read and approved a proclamation designating Oct. 7, 2025 as a Day of Remembrance and Community Resilience in Aventura. The proclamation stated the city “rejects antisemitism and all forms of hatred” and called for the return of hostages; the text read at the meeting included specific casualty and hostage counts as part of the proclamation language. Mayor Weinberg said the proclamation would be presented to the Israeli consulate after the holiday.

Sharon Truesman, who identified herself as a survivor of the Oct. 7 festival attack, addressed the commission and described the experience at the festival and its aftermath. Truesman said she was at the festival “surrounded by friends, laughter, and music” when the attack began and described barricading, fleeing and witnessing violence. “What we witnessed that day were not just acts of terror, they were atrocities beyond imagination,” Truesman said. She added that the days after the attack showed “unity, compassion, strength” and urged remembering victims “not out of hatred, but out of love.”

Other attendees and speakers included representatives of local groups that work on antisemitism issues and community outreach; speakers thanked Truesman and praised city leaders for continuing public remembrance. Former Vice Mayor Denise Landman spoke about two Israeli visitors in the audience and noted a local resident’s son had served on the front lines. A representative who identified herself as Jenny Ensllein offered thanks to Truesman and to the mayor and commission for sustained attention to the issue.

Ending: Commissioners said the proclamations and survivor testimony reflected community solidarity and reaffirmed the city’s position condemning antisemitism and supporting affected residents.