Rosh Hashanah Dinner Table Erected by Hostage Families Outside PM's Home in Caesarea

As the sun set over Israel, families of hostages held in Gaza gathered outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's private residence in Caesarea to mark Rosh Hashanah with a poignant protest. They set up a symbolic holiday dinner table, each place setting representing one of the 97 hostages still held captive by Hamas, nearly a year after the terror attack on October 7, 2023.

The protest was a somber reminder of the loved ones missing as families around Israel celebrated the Jewish New Year. The words “let the old year and its abandonment come to an end” were emblazoned across the long table, a powerful message to Israel’s leadership. Surrounding the table, mock graves were placed to represent those murdered in captivity.

Among those attending was Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan Zangauker was abducted during the October 7 attack. She shared her personal grief, recounting how her once-close family has been torn apart since the day her son, her "best friend," was taken. “It’s been a year in which I haven’t slept, I haven’t eaten… when I understood that the prime minister wasn’t interested in bringing Matan, I decided to bring him back myself,” Zangauker declared.

During the protest, Yifat Calderon, whose cousin Ofer Calderon remains a hostage, lowered the Israeli flag to half-mast while the traditional Rosh Hashanah shofar echoed through the air. The crowd remained resolute, despite the pain of missing family members.

Across Israel, other families of hostages chose quieter gatherings to mark the holiday. In Tel Aviv, some gathered at Hostages Square, including Yocheved Lifshitz, who was released from captivity in October 2023, though her husband Oded remains a hostage. Meirav Leshem Gonen, whose daughter Romi was kidnapped, expressed her desire to have Romi return home before Yom Kippur, saying, “That’s what will give us the victory.”

Protesters also created a powerful installation spelling the word "hope" in Hebrew, which they set on fire, symbolizing both the burning desire for their loved ones’ return and their ongoing fight for justice.

The protest outside Netanyahu’s home served as a stark reminder of the anguish endured by families of hostages, even as they continued to call on the Israeli government to do more. The families’ hopes for the new year were summed up by Zangauker’s wish: “To hug Matan so tightly,” and to finally sit together at the same table next Rosh Hashanah.

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