The relief at seeing more than 100 innocent civilians released from Gaza last month was tempered by the knowledge that more than 130 hostages remain – and as we learned this week, some have sadly been killed.
We can all do more to raise our voices at the injustice of their ongoing captivity. This week’s United email offers a range of ways you can help make a difference.
Learn about the hostages
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has created a short profile with a photo of each of the missing hostages. You can see who they are here.
Woodside Park United Synagogue hosted a very moving conversation this week with the family and friends of Itai Svirski, a German-Israeli hostage still held in captivity. You can watch the video here. The password is 9@M+aHT6.
Write to the Red Cross
The Red Cross has written on its website that it is “working hard to advocate on behalf of the hostages, doing everything in its power to gain access and ensure their humane treatment and access to healthcare”. However, many people think the organisation can and should be doing more, including making public calls for access to the hostages, and naming the people and organisations who are preventing their access. We have prepared a letter you can edit which calls on the Red Cross to take urgent action. Click here to see the letter and send it to the Red Cross.
Write to your MP
It is important to keep the issue of the hostages at the forefront of politicians’ minds. We have drafted a similar letter which asks them to put pressure on the Red Cross to do more to facilitate access to the hostages. Click here to see the letter and send it to your MP.
Join a Westminster protest for the hostages
The Board of Deputies is holding weekly vigils outside Parliament for the return of the hostages and is calling for members of the Jewish community and allies to join this effort. They are looking for volunteers to join the vigils which will begin next week. You can sign up here.
Create your own vigil
If you are not based near central London, why not organise your own vigil? Over the last few weeks, members of Borehamwood and Elstree United Synagogue have organised a weekly gathering in Borehamwood which has grown and grown. Last week it was addressed by the Chief Rabbi and the Deputy Prime Minister, Oliver Dowden. If you’d like to learn more about how the vigil was organised, just reply to this email and we will connect you. You can download free posters with details about the hostages here.
Pray for the hostages' release
Our shuls have been reciting the prayer for the swift rescue of the hostages. It can be said any time, in Hebrew or in English. You might like to say it too and it can be found here. Please join us too in reciting prayers for the healing of the wounded, the comforting of those tragically bereaved and protection from further violence. Click here to see a list of prayers.
We pray the hostages will all be reunited with their families soon.
