Community member Melynn Sight was in Israel during the Oct. 7 attacks in 2023. Her subsequent discussions, learning, reflections and blog posts led her to write a book, “Once You See It: The Jewish Story, October 7, the Past That Shapes It, and the Lives Within It.”

Sight and her husband, Dan, were in Israel as tourists when the Oct. 7 attacks occurred and heard the Israeli jet fighters heading toward Gaza in the days after as they waited to fly out of the country. Upon return, she began a blog to share her thoughts and respond to questions from friends and family.

“The questions often sounded simple, but the answers rarely were,” she said. “...Readers told me they had not realized how complex the region was. They appreciated that I tried to make the history clear and approachable while presenting the facts as fairly as I could. Their response first made me wonder whether the blog could become something larger and more lasting.”

When the last of the Israeli hostages were released in October 2025, Sight “felt the story had reached a natural turning point.” To create a lasting tribute to those affected by Oct. 7 and the subsequent war, she began the process of creating “Once You See It,” which “quickly grew into a much larger exploration of Jewish history, identity, memory, belonging and antisemitism,” she said.

Sight worked to cover “thousands of years of history… exile, persecution, hatred, resilience and comebacks” while also ensuring she focused on “checking sources, comparing reports and being honest about what I knew — and what I didn’t.”

The title, “Once You See It,” comes from a realization Sight had as she researched Jewish history and Oct. 7 events and stories.

“The ‘it’ isn’t one fact or one point of view,” she said. “It is the larger picture: how the past continues to shape the present, how antisemitism can change its language and still resurface, and how much gets lost when we reduce people to headlines or see only one side of a story. I want readers to see the complexity, but especially the humanity. Once you see the people inside the story — their losses, fears and courage — it becomes much harder to look away or settle for simple explanations for complicated problems.”

Sight always intended for proceeds from the book to go to an Israeli nonprofit.

“Once You See It: The Jewish Story, October 7, the Past That Shapes It, and the Lives Within It” by Melynn Sight.

“Through this journey, I came to understand tzedakah as more than charity. To me, it means ‘justice in action,’” she said. “This book would not exist without the people who lived through this tragedy, so giving something back was part of its purpose from the beginning.”

Through her Rotary work with Israel, Sight met the CEO of Tech2Peace, a joint Israeli-Palestinian organization promoting coexistence through technology and dialogue. Then, she read in The Chronicle that Sarah Milgrim (z”l) had worked with Tech2Peace.

“Sarah is also part of the book,” Sight said, and she chose Tech2Peace as the recipient of the donations. “[Tech2Peace’s] mission is connection. It makes room for both Israeli and Palestinian stories while continuing a part of Sarah’s story as well. It felt like just the right place for the book’s proceeds.”

Though the book is finished, Sight said the story is not over. She continues blogging about discussions that arose from the book.

“I knew why I wanted to write the book, but its purpose has become even clearer since I finished,” she said. “I want not only to remember what happened, but also to help people understand what it means — and the responsibility we all share for what comes next.”

To honor the people who survived Oct. 7 and emphasize the responsibility the Jewish people and the world have moving forward, Sight included a Hebrew phrase on the book cover which translates to “For them, for the future.”

“Those words remind me why I began and why I continue,” she said.

Those interested in purchasing “Once You See It,” reading Sight’s blog or learning more about her can go to OnceYouSeeIt.net.