In the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks, Azi Rosenblum immediately traveled to Israel and spent three weeks there volunteering and helping out in different communities.
When he returned home, he said it was like “an adrenaline crash.”
“It was an inspiring and fascinating time being there, and of course tragic and heartbreaking,” says Rosenblum, 44, a Jerusalem native who lives in Northwest Baltimore. “The country is overwhelmed, and every neighborhood and city and town have places for donations and deliveries to units. The whole country is mobilized. People are taking care of each other. It’s beautiful to see. …
“I’m not typically an emotional guy, especially when there is work to be done. But I have to admit, it’s a very emotional experience,” he says. “So after getting home, I just wanted to do something more. And that’s when all of the signs went up.”
Last week, Rosenblum, owner of an outsourcing administrative and bookkeeping service, decided to put up lawn signs in front of his business property in the 2300 block of Smith Avenue in Pikesville, featuring the photos and profiles of each of the 240 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
“It’s up there to get the message out, to help keep people focused,” he says. “We can’t forget them. We have to think of them, pray for them, do good deeds in their merit, and do whatever we can.”
A father of three, Rosenblum downloaded the material for the signs from a PDF on a website and had them printed out professionally. He says he had to take down a few signs when news came out that particular hostages were deceased.
So far, he says he has received a great deal of positive feedback back from neighbors and passersby.
“One woman walked by and said Tehillim [Psalms],” Rosenblum says. “Also, an Israeli lady knocked on the door and said she and other Israelis in the community were very appreciative. It’s been very gratifying.”
Rosenblum says there was one individual who intentionally knocked down some of the signs, “and that was taken care of immediately.” As a result, he says he now has camera surveillance of the property.
Rosenblum encourages people to drop by the property and look at the signs to think about the hostages and what they are going through on a daily basis.
“I feel like when you stand there, you realize that at each sign there’s room for a person to stand in that exact spot — a person with parents, friends, children, neighbors – and that makes it all hit home,” he says. “It’s hard for the brain to understand. The idea of someone being in captivity with [Hamas terrorists] … what are they doing to these people? It’s very scary. But Hashem is on our side so we have hope!”
Rosenblum emphasized that the objective of the display is not to depress or overwhelm people.
“It’s meant to inspire,” he says. “There’s a lot we can do to bring about awareness [of the hostages and Israel’s war against Hamas]. If the Israelis can do everything they’re doing right now, we don’t get to mope around. We have to stay focused and kick butt, which is what we always do when we stand together.”
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