As Hanukkah festivities spark up all over the world, the households of hostages captured by Hamas throughout its 2023 assault on Israel say there’s little to have fun because the second vacation season with out their family members approaches — they usually’re unsure after they’ll return.
The terrorist group continues to be holding roughly 100 captives greater than a yr after the surprising Oct. 7 assault, the place 1,200 males, ladies and kids from greater than 30 nations had been ruthlessly slaughtered.
These left behind are attempting to placed on a courageous face. Nevertheless it’s practically not possible to cover their sorrow.
“It’s a contented vacation, however we’re not glad,” Adi Alexander of Tenafly, New Jersey, instructed The Submit, as his son Edan stays in captivity 15 months later.
“What’s there to be glad about? Our son doesn’t have the chance to have fun Hanukkah or every other holidays,” he continued.
“I’m not planning to be an a–gap and do the celebration when he’s within the tunnels of Gaza. That’s completely inappropriate,” the heartbroken dad stated.
“We don’t have fun something — no Hanukkah, to Passover, nothing. If there’s one thing spiritual the place there’s a blessing, we do the blessing and that’s it.”
Michael Levy — whose brother, Or Levy, can also be a hostage — echoed Alexander’s feedback when he stated that “nothing appears like a vacation anymore.”
“Earlier than October seventh, we used to have Shabbat dinner each week,” Levy stated. “However we don’t do these anymore as a result of they remind us of when Or was with us.”
Relating to Hanukkah, he stated, “It’s all for the youngsters.”
“In any other case, I discover any excuse I can to not be a part of the vacations — I virtually really feel responsible that he’s there, and we’re right here at house, glad and smiling and doing enjoyable issues.”
“Celebrating is troublesome,” he continued. “I’ve three little women, so we have now to make the vacation. We mild the candles. We sing slightly bit. We attempt to pretend it … however you’ll be able to’t actually pretend it.”
Elan Siegel, daughter of hostage Keith Siegel, stated she and her mother will spend the eight-day vacation within the Washington, DC space with others from the Jewish group.
However she will be able to’t conceal her frustration about why her dad continues to be trapped abroad.
“The time passes and it’s one other day, and one other day, and we’re actually anxious with all of the speaking a few hostage deal, and the progress – or no progress – with the negotiations,” she stated.
“And that’s the place we’re. In these final 14 months, we don’t take into consideration holidays — or weekdays or weekends. We don’t really feel any completely different. We simply take into consideration my dad and all of the hostages there, in the event that they’re capable of survive this winter or not.”
It’s their second winter in captivity, and he or she stated they know from medical doctors and professors that the hostages’ immune programs could also be faltering as a result of horrid situations underneath which they’re saved.
Final yr, she, her mother and her sister met with President Biden on the White Home to specific their keen need for Keith’s return.
She instructed him Hanukkah was a logo of sunshine and household — and he or she “actually, actually desires my dad house.”
A yr has handed since then, nevertheless. And there’s no mild on the finish of the tunnel.
However possibly this yr her prayers will lastly be answered.
“I don’t know if I fully consider in it — I’m not a non secular particular person — however I consider there’s a energy of togetherness and unity, and it may well do issues in a religious method,” Siegel stated.
“There are lots of people saying {that a} deal can occur this time, so we’re crossing our fingers. And doing it collectively is all the time higher.”
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