Over 20,000 assemble in Hyde Park to remember victims of October 7th

More than 20,000 people assembled in Hyde Park in London on Sunday to mourn the victims of the October 7th attacks and to call for the release of the hostages who are still being held captive in Gaza.

Addressing the event, which was organised by Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council, 7/10 Human Chain, The Hostages and Missing Families Forum UK, UJIA and the Israeli Embassy, was Mandy Damari the mother of UK hostage, 28-year-old Emily Damari. The event was also attended by Ada Sagi, a hostage who was released in November, and Barak Deri, one of the first reservists to arrive at Kibbutz Be’eri.

Mandy said of her daughter: “How is it that she is still imprisoned after one year? Why isn’t the whole world, especially Britain, fighting every moment to secure her release? She is one of their own. I plead with those in power here to use every ounce of influence they have to advocate for the release of the hostages.”

Barack Deri, who is still on crutches as a result of injuries later sustained, recalled the moments after his arrival at Kibbutz Be’eri. “In the kibbutz I saw death. Civilians lying dead in the streets…during an intensive firefight we killed many terrorists but I also lost friends, some in my arms. We searched for the hostages in Gaza but often we returned only with bodies.”

Addressing the huge crowd, Boad of Deputies President Phil Rosenberg said: “They didn’t hate us because they thought Israel was strong. They hated us because they thought Israel was weak. The attack was like the attack on the Manchester arena. Terror is terror.”

He added: “I know that this has been an incredibly tough year, but we, the Jewish people, have resilience in our DNA, and I know we are determined to come back stronger”.

He led the crowd in chants of “Bring them Home” and “‘Am Yisrael Chai”.

Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis recited Kaddish for the victims of the massacre. He said: “It’s so important we continue to provide our unequivocal support for the state of Israel. We have hope because Israel is strong. We are not in the 1920s or 1930s. Israel will forever be a safe haven for Jews.”

The event was hosted by actress Tracy-Ann Oberman as a big screen showed images of every victim of the attacks on a loop, which took over an hour.

Israeli Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely said: “Israel today is stronger than ever, and the Israeli people are stronger than ever, and we are here united with the Jewish people here in London in Hyde Park to say to our enemies: ‘Every time you want to defeat us, we become stronger. Every time you want to divide us, we become more united.’

Historian Simon Schama recited poetry in honour of the victims, while the Chief Executives of Reform and Liberal Judaism, Rabbis Josh Levy and Charley Baginsky, recited a prayer for the hostages. Rabbi Baginsky said: “Every day since October 7 last year we have held those taken hostage in our hearts, acknowledging the words spoken by Steve Brisley, the brother-in-law of one of the hostages Eli Sharabi: ‘We are them and they are us’”.

JLC Chair Keith Black, said: “The battle you are fighting is not for the Israel or the Jewish people. It is at its core a battle against a malignant ideology that seeks to bring down western civilisation. You are fighting for a set of ideals that are the foundations of the West.”

Twenty-three candles were lit on stage, each representing a different community in Israel attacked by Hamas on October 7. They were lit by community and religious leaders, including S&P Sephardi community Senior Rabbi Joseph Dweck, Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, Senior Rabbi of Masorti Judaism, UJS President Sami Berkoff, Holocaust survivor Mala Tribich MBE, survivors of the Nova music festival and Ada Sagi, who was released from Gaza after 53 days in captivity.

Speakers also included Henry Grunwald OBE, former president of the Board of Deputies and chair of the event’s organising committee, Michal Noe, who hailed the strength of the youth connection to Israel.

UJIA chair Zvi Noe said: “When we were asked to stand up and be counted we did not cower – we raised our voices and we raised our support. We’ve attended countless demos and we’ve raised millions for those in need. We’re helping to rebuild the communities of the south.”

Two children, Zev Hamburger and Danielle Blumin Kogan, read letters from Israelis supported by UK philanthropy in Israel.

The event concluded with the singing of the God Save the Queen and HaTikvah, led by Amber Kirschenbaum.

Memorial events were also held at other venues around the country, including Manchester, Leeds and Bournemouth..

You can see a video of the the Hyde Park event here.

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