Rambam Rally: Showing Support for Families of Hostages

Family members of Ofir Tzarfati (27), from Kiryat Ata, and Alon Ohel (22) from Levon in the Galilee, both kidnapped from the Nova music festival in Re’im, joined the solidarity rally.

Some 50,000 stickers with the faces of the 236 hostages, now held in Gaza – babies, children, women, and men, were distributed. In a show of support, Rambam employees, patients, and visitors placed stickers on their clothing, each representing a hostage. Yellow ribbons were distributed. Participants wrote messages of support on a large poster board, and placed stickers on another two boards – the three formed a backdrop to the rally.

Professor Michael Halberthal, Rambam’s Director General, opened the ceremony with a message, “Within the Rambam family, there are murdered, wounded, and kidnapped victims, and we send the families loving hugs.” He continued, “Israel is experiencing one of its most difficult times. These are critical days, but we must not give up. For thousands of years, the people of Israel withstood innumerable tests. We have known suffering and pain more than any other people have, but we have never given up. Willpower and endurance are synonymous with us. We will also overcome this test.”

Following Professor Halberthal’s moving message, Keren Ram Bar-Yosef, a clinical psychologist at Rambam and Alon Ohel’s aunt, explained how Rambam and Ohel’s family are intertwined. In the past, Ohel’s grandmother and an aunt were nurses at Rambam. Bar-Yosef shares, “Alon is a gifted musician. He was at the Nova festival with four of his friends. Two were murdered, and two were injured.” In the last photo of Alon, he is seen alive being led off in a white pickup truck filled with terrorists. Since then, we have not heard anything.”

When Alon’s mother, Idit, heard about his kidnapping, she decided to focus on the positive. “Good brings good,” she said, “focusing on the good will give us strength, and I am sure that in some way Alon will feel it, wherever he is.” Bar-Yosef continued, “Language shapes consciousness.” She conveyed another message from Alon’s mother, “Let’s put the phrase “hostages” aside and use the phrase “returnees” instead, because they will return. We seek to bring them all home before it is too late.”

Rachel Tzarfati, Ofir’s Tzarfiti mother, addressed the crowd. “He went to celebrate his 27th birthday.” Recounting the events that led up to her son’s kidnapping, she shared, “From witness testimonies and phone calls, we understood that he and his partner, Shoval Gal, were trying to escape from the Nova music festival. Ofir then chose to save Shoval and put her in a moving vehicle and went on to rescue many additional victims before taking care of himself.”

“Ofir managed to make contact, and I told him: ‘Ofir, this is your life’s mission, you have to save yourself.’,” Tzarfati recalled. “Ofir and Romi Gonen, who was sitting next to him, were forced into a Hamas vehicle. From then on, we have had no information about Ofir. We don’t know the extent of his injuries, whether he survived, or if his injuries were treated. Difficult questions to which we have no answers.” She went on to say, “The hostages must be returned home today. I stand here before you and say, don’t get used to seeing their faces on billboards on every street and alley.”

Shoval Gal, Tzarfati’s partner, was with him at the Nova festival and thanks to him, she survived and asked Rambam employees to keep up the struggle with them. “We are happy for each one who returns home to their families. We must continue this struggle for the women, the men, the fathers, for everyone.”

Later, a prayer was said for the hostages, IDF soldiers, and security forces, after which, the hundreds who were present responded with a resounding “Amen.” The ceremony concluded with everyone joining in to sing Israel’s national anthem, “HaTikva.”

The ceremony at Rambam was heartbreaking. Many tears were shed as the Rambam family stood together praying for the hostages' safe return.