“As we approach the High Holy Days, do not turn away the pain of our 101 brothers and sisters held in captivity,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum UK said as families of hostages visited the UK to remind the world of their relatives’ plight.
Ahead of Rosh Hashanah, the young cousins of murdered British-Israeli sisters, Noiya and Yahel Sharabi, asked: “Do not stop praying for us and our loved ones.”
Rotem Sharabi, 20, was best friends with Noiya, who was 16 when Hamas murdered her, while Roni Sharabi, 15, was closest with Yahel, who was 13 when she was killed along with her British mother, Lianne Sharabi, 48, on Kibbtuz Be’eri.
In an event to raise funds for the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, Rotem sang Noiya Sunshine, which she had written in memory of her cousin.
“We planned on visiting London, even mum and dad agreed. Now when everyone’s asleep, mum is secretly crying,” Rotem sang to a packed room in north London.
Rotem Sharabi sun “Noiya Sunshine,” in memory of her murdered cousin and best friend, Noiya Sharabi
“On October 7, we became the voices of our loved ones because their voices cannot be heard,” she said.
Younger sister Roni added: “Yahel was my best friend, they [the sisters] were the heart of the family.”
Yossi and Eli Sharabi, the sisters' uncles, are both still held hostage in Gaza. After 102 days in captivity, Yossi was announced dead, news that Rotem said made the Sharabis question “how our family [could] keep on fighting”.
“The Sharabi family lost four people, and now we don’t want to lose a fifth,” Rotem said, advocating for her uncle Eli.
“We’re hoping that the next time we come to London, it will be with Eli.”
Eli Sharabi, who is missing in Gaza, with his wife and two daughters, who were killed on October 7
Meanwhile, Anat Engrest, the mother of hostage Matan Engrest, explained that her son fought with his tank unit at Nahal Oz for hours – a battle she listened back to via the tank’s black box recording equipment.
“Matan’s three friends were killed. One was found in the tank after five days. The two others were kidnapped dead, and Matan was badly injured.”
Matan was taken to Gaza critically wounded and unconscious. For weeks, Anat did not know if he had survived, but rescued hostages saw Matan. “They told us he is mentally strong and he believes he will be released, but it will take time - and he sent us his love.
“Matan and others are not posters. They are human beings, buried alive under the ground,” his mother said.
“The enemy can decide every minute if they will be alive or not. That’s why we hope a deal will come soon.”
Anat Engrest, the mother of hostage Matan, at an event in London to raise awareness for the hostage forum
Anat's father was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust and told his daughter that the capture of his grandson was like “Shoah Two”.
“We always grew up [believing] that now we are strong, and we have our state, and it won’t happen again. My father was the strongest man I ever saw... but now he is broken.”
“I can’t say how hard it will be not knowing when it will end,” the mother added.
She said that the forum “has given us a lot of strength”. The group, mostly run by volunteers, provides support, including direct financial aid, to affected families.
Author and historian Simon Sebag Montefiore addressed the crowd, explaining that October 7 echoed the Holocaust, as well as the pogroms of the Russian empire, the anti-Jewish massacres from the Muslim and Ottoman world and the Christian crusades: “It fits into the Jewish tragedy that we have suffered over many generations.”
Sebag Montefiore added to the call to "bring the hostages home”.
In the meantime, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum UK has been arranging for members of the UK Jewish community to send Rosh Hashanah cards to relatives of hostages to support them over the festival.
