Be the light for our hostages this Shabbat

The Jewish National Fund South Africa (JNF SA) and The Base shul are calling on Jewish South Africans to light yellow Shabbat candles this Shabbos in the merit of the more than 100 Israeli hostages still in captivity in Gaza after more than 300 days.

The organisers of this initiative, set for Shabbat Chazon, which is a significant and introspective time leading up to Tisha B’Av, are also calling on the community to give charity in merit of the release of the hostages, and to assist returned hostages and their families to come to South Africa for some respite and recovery.

“This Yellow Shabbat Candle project gives us the opportunity to put our feelings of empathy and mutual responsibility into action in a positive way,” says Rabbi Aharon Zulberg of The Base community. “We’re doing this together, and we’re doing it for each other.

“These days preceding Tisha B’Av are a time of solemn reflection and introspection. There’s an urgency for us to examine our actions and aspire to a better future.

“In spite of the sombre tone, there’s a strong message of hope and redemption. We cannot underestimate the power of one more good deed. Let’s work together with each other to do just that. This message of hope for redemption even in our darkest hour makes this a poignant time for communal and personal reflection.”

Saul Jassinowsky, one of the campaign organisers, says, “The yellow candles symbolise solidarity, remembrance, and hope. By lighting these candles and bringing the light of Shabbat into our homes and our lives, the community is urged to reflect on the plight of the Israeli hostages still held captive in Gaza. We urge everyone to stand in solidarity with them and their families, and the unimaginable collective trauma of am Yisrael.”

Each pack, which can be ordered by following the link below, consists of two yellow Shabbat candles, a prayer in the name of a hostage still held in Gaza, and a small tzedakah box. The campaign, according to Michael Kransdorff, the chairperson of JNF SA, extends further than a symbolic act to providing tangible support.

“The funds raised will be used to bring returned hostages and their families to South Africa, providing them with a much-needed opportunity to recover in a supportive and nurturing environment,” he says.

JNF SA and The Base community have run numerous projects since 7 October, in Israel and South Africa, to highlight the plight of the hostages. These include the yellow ribbons that drape around many trees and street poles in Johannesburg, yellow hostage pins, and an empty Shabbat table outside Kosher World.

“Following the success of the first visit to South Africa and Mauritius a few months ago by returned hostage Sapir Cohen, we have been asked by the Hostage Families Forum in Israel to facilitate additional trips. A brother, whose two siblings remain in captivity in Gaza, will be visiting South Africa shortly, and we’re proud to have him as a keynote speaker as part of JNF SA and The Base’s upcoming programme.

“This initiative embodies our community’s long-standing tradition of standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel in her hour of need and offering practical assistance to those who have endured unimaginable trauma,” Kransdorff says.

To take part in the initiative, go to: https://jnml.io/Candles