Day 527 Of The War: The Families In Begin Thank The People

Last night, I decided to go to Begin for the weekly protest. The previous week, the families had called on the people of Israel to join them as they set up tents all around the area of the Defense Ministry, outside the various gates leading to its compound. This bold move was a reaction to the fact that the prime minister and his government had not taken further steps to secure the release of all the hostages, and the negotiations are stuck.
Although today marks the last day of Purim—a holiday meant to symbolize the transformation of a grim fate into a great victory—no such miracle has happened for us or for our hostages. When I volunteered at the headquarters last Thursday, on the Fast of Esther, and again today, on Shushan Purim, the dining room was filled with Mishloach Manot from well-wishers, especially children who had prepared them with their families. Yet, despite these gestures of kindness, the overall mood remained somber.
That’s why I decided to go to Begin last night—I wanted to experience the raw protest, even the stirrings of an uprising, rather than a structured and formal rally led by a professional moderator whose words move the audience, accompanied by the testimonies of the families. Moreover, at this point, I prefer not to hear the national anthem but to witness the unfiltered pain of the people, rather than its artistic expression.
Yet, there were some glimmers of hope. The returning hostages have been visiting the headquarters to see the place where the struggle continues and to thank the activists and volunteers.
This sense of gratitude was strongly felt last night in Begin. Einav Zangauker’s speech was not typical. She spoke about her dream of bringing her son, Matan, who is still a hostage, to Begin one day to show him all the good people who fought for his return. In her dream, she imagined him playing football with the children who come with their parents to Begin every day. It was deeply moving. Yifat Calderon, whose cousin Ofer was released last month, thanked the crowd for their solidarity and for showing up every week. She urged them to keep coming, saying that It really helps.
Throughout the week, several people (men, actually) told me that our struggle doesn’t make a difference. My response was that I don’t have the privilege to ponder such ideas—I’m too busy thinking and working to bring the hostages back now. There are times when overthinking is merely an excuse for doing nothing.