Day 506 of the War: A Collective Force

On the way to the demonstration in Begin Gate last night, my friend, with whom I regularly protest, told me that she was weary of the stress and worry that have become our reality. She compared our lives—centered around personal and national security—to the seemingly easier lives of people in most Western countries, where citizens do not live by the sword. I had to agree. The last few years in Israel have been especially difficult.

Last Monday, on the 500th day of the war, the Families Headquarters declared it a day of fasting, and at the end of the fast, everyone was asked to gather for a rally. I fasted for the first time in my life, but when I broke the fast, I felt sad and listless and couldn’t bring myself to go to the rally. I was disappointed in myself, yet at the same time, I knew that others would be there to take my place.

And this is what makes Israel so special—this is our collective strength. Since October 7, and even earlier, from the beginning of the judicial overhaul, we have been present and engaged. Things would be much better if we felt that our leaders were with us in this struggle rather than, in many cases, standing as obstacles. But we have a mission: first, to bring back the hostages now; second, to physically rebuild the North and the South; and third, to restore a better society that can live in peace within our borders.

Yes, there are places in the world where people live quietly without worry, but often, that peace is an illusion. We had illusions, too, before October 7, but now is the time to act.

Last night in Begin, it was cold, and there was some rain. But the demonstration was energetic and powerful as every Saturday. The handmade signs were especially impressive, some with quotes from the Bible. One poster gave a new twist to the question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Instead the government officials answered: “Are we our nation’s keeper? We were elected to bring power, money, and honor to ourselves and our cronies.”

It is sad that Israel has such elected officials, starting from the top, but all we need to do is look at the leadership of the hostages’ families. For example, last night at Hostages Plaza, the parents of Tal Shoham, who returned from Gaza yesterday, stood together on stage and demanded the release of all the hostages. The same has happened at other demonstrations and rallies, where family members of returned hostages have continued to call for action—not for revenge, but for bringing the hostages home.