Debby and I went early this morning to Hostage Square in Tel Aviv to stand with thousands to sing Hallel, holding our lulav and etrog with prayers of gratitude and anticipation of release. Release for the hostages and release for Israel from the war launched by Hamas, and release for hope from the shackles that have been binding it for two years.
What struck me most was not the nature of the prayer itself, but the breathtaking diversity of Jewish expression present. Secular and religious, young and old, people from across every spectrum of Israeli society stood together, united in a combination of anxious hope, excited anticipation, and resolute gratitude.
Israeli journalist Amit Segal captured this morning’s event perfectly as he urged viewers to watch without political or partisan commentary: "Strip away the spin, the slander, the endless arguments about who deserves credit or blame. Forget the political framing for a moment. Look at what [is actually happening]."
I see the day coming close for the release of hostages, the return of bodies, the return of those displaced, troops returning home, competing sides talking about resolution, and the pause we all need to reflect and consider what has been lost regardless of one’s allegiances.
Standing there among thousands, I felt something shift—not certainty, but possibility. The possibility of shifting the purpose of that public square from a space to remember the hostages toward a space to celebrate the rescue and redemption from the trauma of these last two years. The possibility of a page turning from a chapter of darkness and despair toward one of light and hope.
Shabbat Shalom From Hostage Square in Tel Aviv,
Rabbi Howard Jacoby Ruben
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