"I wanted to pay tribute to Rabin's generosity and openness to change," said Epps. "It was an important service because it gave members of the community a chance to mourn the loss and think about the issues raised in his assassination."

Also present at the memorial service was Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '67.

Lewis said he was moved by Rudenstine's speech and by the occasion.

"I attended for the same reasons many others did, I think, to reflect for a few moments on a great man and to try to support the community in its grief," Lewis wrote in an e-mail message yesterday.

Yuval Segal '97, co-chair of Harvard Students for Israel, expressed some regret that the service did not focus on Rabin as much as it should have.

"Lots of analogies [with different peace makers] were made, but I don't think that enough was said about Rabin's life or his accomplishments," he said.

Segal said the service could have placed more emphasis on Rabin's turn-around from a military warrior to a committed peace maker.

"Since this was a eulogy, I think we should have talked about the things he should be remembered for rather than the political climate that led to the assassination," Segal said.

Planning for the service started last Saturday, according to Chair of Hillel Ethan M. Tucker '97, who is a Crimson editor. After a special council meeting at the Hillel Sunday night devoted primarily to drafting a statement that ran in yesterday's Crimson, many members stayed to organize the service.

"We wanted to do this so people would feel some closure," Tucker said. "Everyone was devastated, and regardless of politics, people were crushed. We lost a great leader and there's a fear that we might lose his vision. This [service] was to assure that does not happen.