EXCLUSIVE: Why Shari Redstone is helping the Kennedy Center commemorate October 7th terrorist attacks
There are almost no events commemorating the horrific events of October 7th in Washington, D.C. The Kennedy Center is changing that.
Ahead of the second year anniversary of the October 7th, 2023 terrorist attacks, there are very few events commemorating the horrors anywhere in Washington, D.C.
But the Kennedy Center, Shari Redstone, and the Redstone Family Foundation were dead set on changing that. They are teaming up to announce multiple days of programming at the premiere arts center in Washington, D.C. that will, Redstone told the Washington Reporter, “deepen understanding of the terror inflicted that day, the agony of the hostages, and the enduring pain of their families.”
“Our Foundation is glad to have the opportunity to work with the Kennedy Center on this vital remembrance of the events of October 7th,” the legendary media executive told the Reporter. “Only by sharing this information can people truly comprehend the reality behind the headlines.”
The Kennedy Center’s programming that Redstone is supporting will include appearances by the majority of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet members at the arts center, as well as the temporary construction of a public Sukkah of Hope, which was created in collaboration with the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
The Kennedy Center will also open EDUT: The Visual Testimony of October 7th, an exhibition by Israeli artist Marc Provisor, followed by a special screening of SIPUR Studios’s Emmy Award-winning documentary, We Will Dance Again.
The Redstone Family Foundation focuses heavily on fighting anti-Semitism and racism, including supporting and producing content that sheds light on stories and historical testimonies of unchecked forces of hate.
The values of this production are squarely in line with what both Trump and Ambassador Richard Grenell have brought to the Kennedy Center since the duo took it over earlier in 2025. “We remember the innocent concert goers who were violently murdered by Hamas,” Grenell said amidst the announcement. “And we remember the families who are still waiting for their loved ones to be returned.”