In the morning, at Shabbat services, a young woman got up at the end to announce that last week was the birthday of a girl she had taught as a youth leader. Her friends all met up in Tel Aviv to celebrate it. She wasn’t there.
Her name is Naama Levy. She was taken hostage on October 7th. The images of her capture are burned into my brain. If you have not seen them, please exercise extreme caution before you look them up.
After Shabbat services, I went down to see friends in Rechavya. There, all the posters are displayed for a guy called Hersh Goldberg-Polin. He is an ultra for the local football team, HaPoel Yerushalayim.
Hersh was abducted on October 7th after his arm was blown off by a grenade. His mother has been campaigning tirelessly for diplomatic measures to get her son home safe.
At my friend’s house, she asks: “my mum says that back home in America “bring them home” is a pro-war slogan? Can that be true?”
“Yes, it is in Britain too. It’s been quite the adjustment seeing it here.”
“But who is it directed at?”
“I don’t know, I guess they’re petitioning Hamas.”
“I don’t understand though: how can people want the hostages home and be pro-war?”
“The hostages are the pretext for all the attacks on Gaza.”
“But they are not in Gaza for the hostages!” her husband insists.
I know. They know. Everyone here knows. I wish people in Britain knew too.
When Shabbat ended and the first stars appeared in the sky, I joined the protests to bring the hostages home.
Everyone had banners calling for an end to war and an end to occupation. Supporters of Hersh’s mum handed out stickers with the number of days he has been held captive.
At the end, legendary Israeli peacenik David Grossman gave a speech as police charged at demonstrators.
Where is their support from Diaspora Jews? I wish I could hear my own community’s voices raised like these in Jerusalem- against war.
Sim Lev 