The audience was already on its feet, applauding, when the screen began to rise. Then came the realization: the people they had just met through The Bridge: A Journey of Survival, Sound, and Salvation were standing right there, ready to perform.

More than 300 people gathered at The Studio on October 7 for The Bridge Experience, a sold-out evening hosted by the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County. The commemoration brought the community together through film and music to remember October 7 and reflect on the resilience that can emerge in its aftermath.

The Bridge follows ten young Israelis whose lives were changed by the October 7 attacks. The film traces their journey from Israel to Los Angeles, where they took part in Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy Camp. Through music and new friendships, they found moments of healing and renewed hope. Watching their stories together gave the audience a chance to connect with them before the musicians took the stage.

Rabbi Josh Broide first saw the film in Israel. A year later, he helped bring it to the community he calls home and joined the musicians onstage.

“By the end, you felt like you knew them personally,” Broide said. “But what made the evening truly unforgettable was watching everyone’s faces as they realized the people they had just connected with on screen were standing right in front of them.”

For Broide, the moment brought the film and the live performance together in a way he will carry with him. “Sharing in the music, the emotion and the energy of that moment was something I will never forget.”

The evening grew from a meaningful connection: Broide had encountered the film in Israel, then helped bring its stories and performers to Jewish Boca. The Federation made space for the community to experience the film together and meet the musicians through their performance. Proceeds will benefit Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha as the community continues to rebuild.

Those who could not attend shared messages of support for Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha in the event guest book. In the room and beyond it, the evening brought people together around stories of resilience and the community’s ongoing connection to Israel.

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