Bring the Hostages Home
I spent the evening of July 23 standing on the National Mall with many familiar faces (“Mixed Reactions as Netanyahu Addresses Congress in DC,” Aug. 2). Aviva Siegel, who is a former hostage and the wife of U.S.-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel, shared her story. I can’t say how many times she has come to D.C., but this was the second time I’ve heard her speak at this location. She should be home with her husband in Kfar Aza enjoying long summer days. Instead, she’s going from press conference to press conference, rally to rally, news broadcast to news broadcast, doing everything she can to advocate for her husband’s release.
I’ve been internally torn on whether I’m actually going to observe the halachot of the Nine Days this year. On one hand, I’m an observant Jew and the Nine Days halacha is halacha. On the other hand, I’m a Zionist, my heart is in Israel and I’ve felt like the Nine Days have dragged out for more than 300 days.
What I do know is this: The Nine Days are a call to action. The Nine Days are a period of time where we shake off what has become routine and we look at what matters. We must increase our advocacy and our public outcry. We must push through the part of ourselves that has given up hope and scream “Bring them home now!” with more tikvah than ever before.
We need continued U.S. support to bring the hostages home and to find a peaceful end to this horrific war. I ask that you email your congressperson and remind them that Keith Siegel and four other living U.S. citizens remain captive in Gaza.
Beth Vander Stoep-Regan
Canton
