His voice rising in anger, Rabbi Dweck said: “Who tears down the photos of innocent hostages? Who does that? And we think, who are the evil ones? The terrorists. We can call that evil. [But] who’s tearing down the posters?”
Saying that the “malice is malignant”, he implored the crowd to “call evil ‘evil’ when we see it, even if it dressed as a university professor, as a journalist or an activist. It is not acceptable.
Rabbi Dwek (Photo: Amanda Rose)© amanda rose
“Jihadism, Islamism is not acceptable….It is spreading…It finds its passage …under the standard of political correctness, because we don’t say it when we see it, because we’re too polite to say it…But we must say it.”
His comments were echoed by broadcaster and journalist Jonathan Sacerdoti, who said that while Jews were “chosen...to be set apart from everyone else, to be hated, hunted, hounded in our everyday decent lives”, Jews were also “chosen …for our strength, our example to the world, our commandments and our morality and our indestructible determination.
“500 days ago, we were chosen to fight this perversion, this subversion, this inversion of reality and justice. 500 days ago…we rose in unity and in strength and to do better for ourselves and the whole world, to fight back against the powers of evil and of death.”
Reverend Hayley Ace from Christian Action Against Antisemitism, a long-standing supporter of the Jewish community and a frequent speaker at hostage rallies, said: “I want to say to every Jewish person here that I love you so much and that I continue to be dedicated to fighting antisemitism, standing up for you with all my might, and I represent so many Christians who are doing that.”
Reverend Hayley Ace (Photo: Amanda Rose)© amanda rose
She paid tribute to the campaigners who have spent more than a year adorning the streets with hostage posters and yellow ribbons – frequently replacing them when anti-Israel protesters have torn them down. “All of the unsung heroes…It’s just important to hold space to say you are amazing, you rock and are incredible.”
Michael Marlowe, whose UK-born son Jake was murdered by Hamas terrorists at the Nova Festival on October 7 after leading others to safety, said: “Even now, 500 days later, people say to us: ‘We have no words.’ There are no words. We are bereaved and broken beyond repair.
“Jake’s heroism, his bravery and his selfless love for others will never be forgotten. His light will continue to shine in the lives of those who he saved, in the hearts of everyone who loved him, and that is mirrored by all the other beautiful souls in the last 500 grief-filled torturous days since October 7, 2023. Our hearts go out to them.”
Marlowe described “the double-edged emotions” of seeing hostages being released - “the sheer joy they are back in the arms of their loved ones and back in our homeland…[and] the horrors of seeing the devastating toll it has taken on them from so long in the hell holes of Gaza”.
Crowds gather in Hendon Park to mark 500 days since October 7 (Photo: Amanda Rose)© amanda rose
Thanking the multitudes of campaigners calling for the release of the remaining hostages, Marlowe said: “Our ammunition is our belief that good will always overcome evil.”
Noam Sagi, a leading figure in the fight for the release of the hostages after his mother Ada was taken hostage and held for 53 days before being released in November, 2023, said that while 500 days was “another landmark” since October 7, for the 73 hostages still being held captive by Hamas in Gaza, “today is just another day in hell, same as the day before and the day before that. No air, no light, no movement, hardly any food, no notion if there is tomorrow.
“The body gets weaker, the mind gets tested to its limits, not knowing, not feeling, patience stretched to the end. Every noise can be the last. Survival is all that matters.”
Noam Sagi (Photo:Amanda Rose)© amanda rose
Visibly emotional, Sagi said he wanted to send “a big hug” to his “extended family”, Kibbutz Nir Oz “the most amazing community who lost so much”. Twenty residents from the kibbutz are still being held hostage by Hamas, he said. “So today, I say loud and clear: Let my people go. Bring them home now.”
Colonel Yoav, the Israeli defence attaché to the UK, addressed the crowd, saying he was “deeply moved” to see so many supporters.
Conceding that the IDF had “failed to fulfil our duty” on October 7, he said: “Our enemies thought with this barbaric attack that they would be able to break the resilience of the Israeli society. They hoped that all of Israel’s enemies would join them and truly believed that it could bring an end to the Jewish state. They were mistaken.
“What has happened since then is exactly the opposite. The IDF has fought to push back Hamas, followed it into Gaza to destroy it bases, defeat it and fight for the return of all our hostages. The people of Israel have risen up in a unique show of unity to fight for our homeland. The whole nation mobilised to defend itself. Israel has shown resilience and strength.
He added that ‘the solidarity of the Jewish people all around the globe and here in London has shown the world, once again, what this nation is made of”.
Giving a rousing speech at the end of the vigil, Itai Gal from Stop the Hate said: “Our people rose like phoenix from the ashes of Auschwitz to build a garden of Eden in the desert, surrounded by enemies who seek our destruction. Against all odds, we don’t just survive, we thrive. We will dance again, and tomorrow will be better.”
An emotional vigil of remembrance and strength as the Jewish community and their allies gathered to mark 500 days since the tragic events of October 7 (Photo:Amanda Rose/@amandarosephoto)© amanda rose
“We will rebuild stronger, safer, unbreakable. We will fix what must be fixed because we are the Jewish people. “
Organiser Howard Kayman said afterwards: “It was deeply emotional and incredibly inspiring with amazing speakers. Without a doubt, we are truly stronger together.
“Last night was flawless in every way and I just wish we were there celebrating, instead of gathering in such difficult circumstances.”
The vigil was a combined effort of Stop the Hate, the CAAA, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum UK and 7/10 Human Chain.
The organisers thanked CST and the Met Police for their support.
(l-r) Josh Nesbitt, Yoni Shine and Moni Tivony (Photo: Amanda Rose)© amanda rose