Another holiday without them: Hostage families prepare for sukkot

A sukkah for the hostages was erected Tuesday at Be’eri, one of the Kibbutzim most significantly impacted by the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, in preparation for another holiday that will pass without the hostages.

In preparation for another holiday that will pass without the return of all the hostages, Be’eri, one of the Kibbutzim most significantly impacted by the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, erected a sukkah for the hostages on Tuesday.

“It is painful and incomprehensible that we have erected a ‘hostage sukkah,’ the purpose of which is to continue the fight to bring our loved ones back from Gaza,” residents of the Kibbutz said.

The sukkah was built on the site where the homes of Be’eri residents who were taken hostage once stood, including that of Yossi Sharabi, whose body is still being held.

“There is no physical remnant of our home, not a picture, not a curtain, but we are here insisting on building a sukkah that will remind the whole world that there was a house here, there were families here, there was a world here, and it is not complete,” said Nira Sharabi, Yossi’s widow.

Continuing to ensure that the hostages are thought of

“We will not stop for a moment, and we won’t allow people to forget. We must bring back [hostage] Eli [Sharabi] and Yossi and all the hostages who have been withering away for over a year in captivity.”

The sukkah, set up where, until a few months ago, the burned houses of the Be’eri residents still stood, is yellow and decorated with pictures of the 10 hostages from the Kibbutz.

It is also adorned with an updated version of a prayer said while sitting in the sukkah: “In this sukkah, we will sit and listen to the beats of the heart that is missing those who must come home. From this sukkah, we will send strength to the loved ones who must return and all the families. At this entrance, hope will enter; in this place, we will proclaim that we must remember and acknowledge the necessity of bringing all [hostages] home.

Kulanu and the Hostage Family Forum posted a video to Instagram showing Guy Gilboa-Dalal’s family preparing to celebrate the holiday without him.

“Before he went to the [Nova] party, he promised he would help me take down the sukkah,” said Guy’s father, adding that the sukkah has been left standing for a year, waiting for Guy to come home and help take it down.

The sukkah “has a purpose,” he added. “Its purpose is for Guy to come and take it down.”

“This is the first time we celebrate the holiday without him,” his mother said, adding that she believes that he is alive and well and that she’s waiting for his return.

“As we approach the eve of Sukkot, our thoughts turn to those who cannot celebrate with their families this year,” the Hostage Family Forum said in a statement before the holiday.

“It has been more than 370 days in which 101 of our loved ones – parents, children, siblings, and grandparents – have been held captive by the terrorist organization Hamas,” the statement continued.

“We call out to the world: don’t forget us; don’t forsake us. We urge you to do everything in your power to pressure for a deal to release these 101 hostages.”