AUGUST 22 • 2024 | 7
J
N

Family members and released hos-
tages speak, videos are shown and 
musical performances take place. 
When we were there, Eden Golan 
sang a heart-wrenching rendition of 
“October Rain” (the original version 
of the song “Hurricane” that she 
performed at the 2024 Eurovision 
Song Contest).
Hostage Square is filled with 
symbols that families and artists 
have created to represent the agony 
of the hostages still being held by 
Hamas. It helps everyone who visits 
Hostage Square remember each and 
every one of the hostages personally 
and collectively. 
Walking in Hostage Square is a 
humbling, emotional experience. 
On the gates surrounding the plaza 
are pictures of each hostage, Israeli 
flags, yellow ribbons and a sign 
reading, “Don’t close your eyes.” 
As you enter the square, there are 
evergreen trees reaching upwards 
with the names of each hostage. On 
the other side of the square, 240 
mirrors on sticks, called “Pieces of 
Light,” are inscribed:
 “On 7th of October 2023, more 
than 240 innocent Israeli civilians, 
including women, elderly people, 
children and infants, were kidnapped 
into Gaza by the Hamas Terror 
Organization. This installation is 
a reminder. A reminder that some 
of our missing loved ones are still 
here and can be saved. A remind-
er that this could easily have been 
us, instead of them. A reminder 
that hope, like light, will never stop 
[shining]. A reminder that we are 
all beings of light.
” Art and Design 
— Karen Zach, Tom Love, OCD 
design, AEladin. 
Symbolic representations of the 
hostage crisis fill the entire plaza: 
a long table, set beautifully for 
Shabbat, but with empty chairs; 
large yellow ribbons joined togeth-
er; artistic panels with the words 
“Bring Them Home” on top, as well 
as memorials to the Nova Music 
Festival victims, decorated with the 
symbolic red ceramic flowers.

I was heartbroken upon encoun-
tering a large heart, wrapped in 
chains, inside a plexiglass case, 
standing prominently on the plaza. 
A sign in English and Hebrew read:
“This heart art piece was original-
ly created to stand in the setting of 
a colorful and joyous festival. After 
the Oct. 7 terror attack, this piece 
got a whole new horrible meaning. 
Like our own hearts, it has been 
chained and would not be unchained 
until every single one of our hostages 
comes back home. Created by Kfir 
Cohen.” 
Fear and anxiety enveloped me 
in the two experiential displays: a 
walk-through of a replica of a dingy 
Hamas tunnel and a darkened tent 
where videos showed real hostages’ 
experiences. 
With a broken heart and under 
enormous physical distress, I vis-
ited each display, while music was 
emanating from a piano encased in 
yellow, displacing the sign, “You are 
not alone.” These images have now 
become embedded in my brain, sur-
facing again and again like mourn-
ful sounds of a broken record.
Before leaving Hostage Square, 
I visited one of the tables selling 
paraphernalia to keep the memories 
of the hostages alive. I bought dog 
tags, bracelets and yellow ribbons 
for myself, as well as for family and 
friends. 
I now don yellow nails on my 
hands and feet, joining with fellow 
Hadassah members in support of 
Hadassah’s social media campaign 
to remember the hostages and 
#EndTheSilence. I wear a hostage 
dog tag around my neck and a yel-
low ribbon on my clothes daily. I 
pray I will be able to end this ritual 
soon. Only then will I go back to 
wearing my favorite purple nail 
polish.
Am Israel Chai. The nation of 
Israel lives.
Bring Them Home Now. 

Beverly Kent Goldenberg is a life member of 

Hadassah Greater Detroit.

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