Michal Herzog joins mothers of hostages at silent protest outside President’s Residence

By Jessica Steinberg

You will receive email alerts from this author. Manage alert preferences on your profile page

You will no longer receive email alerts from this author. Manage alert preferences on your profile page

20 November 2024, 7:27 pm

15 Edit

Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center

Niva Wenkert, left, Michal Herzog and Simona Steinbrecher at the Shift 101 silent protest in Jerusalem on November 20, 2024. (Mishmeret 101/Yadin Giladi)

Michal Herzog, the wife of President Isaac Herzog sits on the asphalt of the street outside the President’s Residence, holding the hand of hostage mother Niva Wenkert, her other arm around the shoulders of hostage mother Simona Steinbrecher, as she joins Shift 101, a silent protest for the hostages which began three weeks ago.

Several hundred women dressed in white surround Wenkert and Steinbrecher for this latest round of Shift 101, from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Earlier in the day, the silent protestors sat on Aza Street near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence, where other hostage mothers, including Ayelet Levy, Orly Gilboa and Shira Albag sat from 12:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. They were joined by Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the parents of slain hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin for the silent protest that is only broken by soft singing or by a hostage mother who chooses to speak.

Jon Polin, Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Ayelet Levy at Shift 101 silent protest on November 20, 2024 in Jerusalem. (Courtesy: Mishmeret 101/Doron Adar)

Simona Steinbrecher, whose daughter Doron, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7, tells the crowd of women how much strength they offer her.

“I look at all of you and thank you,” says Steinbrecher, who quotes the lyrics of the song, ‘HaKotel’ (The Western Wall), and its reference to the human heart as she calls on the government to retain that emotional connection and make a deal for the hostages. “Bringing them home is a success for all of us.”

As she finishes speaking, the crowd of women quietly chant, “We are with you, you’re not alone, we are with you, you’re not alone.”

They alternate between singing songs of courage and of war, of other difficult times in Israel’s history.

As 6:00 p.m. nears, Niva Wenkert, the mother of Omer Wenkert, who was taken hostage from the Nova music festival, gets up to speak, telling the women that this group warms her heart and she’s so thankful to everyone for stopping their lives and coming to this shift.

“I’m out of words, so this silent protest keeps me going,” says Wenkert.

With Steinbrecher by her side, Wenkert and the rest of the crowd sitting outside the President’s Residence sing the song, “Mother, Mother.”