Seder night gave us a chance to pause and remember those lost in the war - opinion

• Published date: 26 April 2024
• Author: ANDREA SAMUELS
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Processing the enormity of the tragedy that has befallen us as a country, a nation, and a people, as well as actively participating in the war effort is something that takes time, patience, and strength – attributes that are, understandably, in short supply in some quarters

However, this doesn't mean that, by getting on with our lives, we don't care or think about the victims of October 7. While they are never far from our thoughts, many of us simply don't have the head space or the energy to attend the weekly marches demanding the hostages' release or drive across the length and breadth of the country delivering supplies to the soldiers.

The chance to pause and reflect

For this reason, Passover, and Seder night in particular, gave us all a much-needed opportunity to pause and reflect on what has happened. With freedom being the primary focus of Passover, our attention naturally turned to the victims of October 7 – and the hostages who remain in Gaza.

Up and down the country, and indeed across the Diaspora, Seder night took on a whole new dimension, with those still held in captivity playing center stage, even though, tragically, they had no idea about their integral role in proceedings.

Many jettisoned their regular Haggadot in favor of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Haggadah, which was tailored to the plight of their loved ones.

An empty chair adorned with a yellow bow and a photograph of one of the captives, whose faces are now, sadly, so familiar, was set at most Seder tables.

New York-based Brit, Nicole Izsak, explained her choice of photograph: "I chose [Amiram Cooper], one of the 85-year-old hostages to represent them all. Never in a million years (or his 85) would he have thought that a total stranger across the world would be having a picture with his face and bio at a Seder, nor the reason why."

And Cooper didn't just "join" her family for their Seder: "It was very moving, 'having him there,' and he will stay all Passover as a reminder," Izsak said.

London-born Israeli Bobby Lax incorporated the simple, yet heartfelt gesture of reading out the names of all 133 hostages during his Seder, while others, including the Lieberman family, inscribed their names down the center of the table.

US-based children's author, Sandy Wasserman, went one step further, using the Seder as an opportunity to get to know more about the hostages themselves. On the first night, she explained, "We went around the table and read aloud all the names." For the...