Become a Member
News

Empty Shabbat Table set for hostages at JW3

A relative of a hostage and the Chief Rabbi visited the installation

October 27, 2023 14:11
The Empty Shabbat Table JW3
1 min read

A sombre atmosphere was present at the JW3 community centre on Friday morning as an empty Shabbat table was laid out with over 200 seats to represent the hostages who remain in Hamas’ custody in Gaza. Hundreds of people have passed through the building to observe the display.

JW3 Chief Executive Raymond Simonson said that the display, inspired by similar ones from Tel Aviv to Times Square, was to stress that hostages “are people, they are not just numbers”. Simonson also encouraged people to continue lobbying their MPs to prioritise freeing the hostages. The tradition of setting a seat for Jewish prisoners is one which dates back to the 1960s with the campaign to free Soviet Jews.

Several speakers, including the Chief Rabbi were in attendance when the display was unveiled on Friday morning in a small ceremony. He asked: “What kind of a Shabbat will (the hostages) be having tonight?” as he connected the symbolism of the Shabbat table to the meaning of having a peaceful Shabbat, an idea which Sir Rabbi Mirvis said had been “shattered” three weeks ago, “when a nation was terrorised”.