Passover 2024: simple prayer for the hostages

For your seder consideration

Some of the Family Hostages profiled at www.BlueRibbons.LIFE/family-hostages.

We hold in our hearts

every hostage and their families, who are not celebrating freedom.

We pray fervently

for their urgent redemption, and afterwards, their families’ healing.

We grieve

for the fallen hostages, including those whose bodies are still captive.

We yearn

for the end of Hamas’ terror.

We ache

for the Palestinians and hope for the day that they can be governed by leaders worthy of their humanity.

We believe

that Israelis and Palestinians will find a path to a better future.

We rededicate

ourselves to the cause of freedom, without regard for religion, nationality, or identity.

When we recite “Next Year in Jerusalem”

we will imagine the day, speedily, that all hostages are free.

Consider adopting a hostage for your seder. Set a place at your table. Say their name and tell their story. For individual profiles of the hostages, including their lives before captivity, see BlueRibbons.LIFE. Tie a blue ribbon on their chair, or use other symbolism from their lives to make your remembrance tangible.

For my other Passover posts this year and more from prior years, see my Passover blog.