‘An emotional day’
We must all do everything in our power to bring them home NOW,” urged Together With Israel.
In what was the first such commemoration worldwide early on Monday morning, the Zionist Council of NSW and Together With Israel led an event at Bondi Mizrachi Synagogue to mark 500 days since the Hamas-led atrocities of October 7, 2023.
Members of the community gathered to pray for the release of the hostages and for the recovery of those who have recently returned to their families after spending more than a year in captivity.
“It’s an emotional day and we continue to pray for those 73 we still wait to be returned home, their families and those who have returned for an easy recovery,” ZCNSW posted on social media.
Together With Israel, which continues to publicly read out the names of the remaining hostages each week to raise awareness, urged everyone to use their voices to advocate for their return.
“Post on social media. Call or write to your local members of Parliament. Engage with workmates and people you meet. We must all do everything in our power to bring them home NOW,” they said.
Later that day in Melbourne, hundreds united under the theme, “No one left behind, no one forgotten”, with witnesses sharing their harrowing first-hand accounts of October 7.
Galia Hartman lost three family members and seven more were taken hostage, with her niece’s husband Tal Shoham expected to be released by Hamas this weekend.
“Every day that passes only makes it harder – the fear that something will happen that will stop the deal, the fear the Tal will be forgotten, it is constant,” she said.
Christian solidarity group Never Again is Now also held an event to mark the solemn anniversary.
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