Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali, great-aunt of former Israeli-American child hostage Abigail Mor Edan, will speak this Wednesday night, Feb. 7, at the local Jewish community’s next “The Braided Candle” gathering.
The event will be held from 7-9 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Baltimore North, at 1726 Reisterstown Road in Pikesville.
The objective of “The Braided Candle” events — an initiative of The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore and Jewish Connection Network — is to stand in solidarity with the hostages abducted by Hamas terrorists during the Oct. 7 attack and call for their immediate release.
“The Braided Candle” events are held on the seventh day of each month. Last month, a special community-wide Havdalah service was held at the Gordon Center for Performing Arts in Owings Mills, featuring music by the band Acoustic Soul.
Abigail Mor Edan turned 4 while being held hostage by Hamas. Her parents, Roee and Smadar, both in their early 40s, were killed on Oct. 7 at the kibbutz Kfar Aza while Abigail’s older siblings, ages 6 and 10, hid a in closet for more than a dozen hours and eventually escaped.
Abigail was captured after being in her father’s arms when he was murdered and then running to a neighbor’s home covered in blood. She was held by Hamas for 50 days and released on Nov. 26.
“A little girl named Abigail, who turned four years old, she spent her birthday, that birthday, and at least 50 days before that held hostage by Hamas. Today, she is free,” President Joe Biden said at the time of her release. “I wish I were there to hold her.”
Abigail is now living with family members in Israel.
“These are all innocent civilians that were taken — kidnapped, taken hostage after seeing horrific, horrific things,” Naftali, a Los Angeles-based real estate investor and philanthropist, told National Public Radio last November. “And Abigail — being this beautiful, little child who should never have been, ever, a hostage for a minute — is a symbol. And she will continue to be a symbol of all of these innocent civilians. And I hope that Abigail will continue to be this hope for peace, a hope for making this world a better place for our children. …
“I hope that the world will do everything that they can to ensure a safe future for Palestinians, for Israelis, regardless of where they were born and what religion they follow,” she said. “I just want to take a moment to ask everyone, I guess, to think about the people who are still held hostage. These are grandparents, parents, sons, daughters, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews.”
For information about “The Braided Candle” event, visit secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/FCxb30mMYKdncs_vPab8AA?t=1704290887
Israeli-Americans Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin talked about the pain of losing their 23-year-old son, who was kidnapped and later murdered in the Oct. 7th tragedy.
A committed philanthropist and community leader, Russel was president of R&H Motors.
The mother of four was a native of Winchester, Virginia, who spent most of her life in Northwest Baltimore.
The remaining 6,000 members of the community are expected to immigrate by 2030.