In a heartfelt display of unity and solidarity, members of Menorah Synagogue (Cheshire Reform Congregation) joined forces with Orthodox synagogues for a well-attended South Manchester Jewish community service to honour the memory of murdered hostages, including Oded Lifshitz and the Bibas family.

Held at Shaare Sedek (Sephardi) Synagogue, the service was poignant for everyone involved.

Shaare Sedek was keen to host the event, as their adopted hostage through the Board of Deputies ‘Adopt a Hostage’ Campaign was Oded Lifshitz. Tragically, Oded’s body was returned to Israel earlier in the week. The service was addressed online from Israel by Oded’s grandson, Daniel Lifshitz. He spoke movingly with Rabbi Amir Ellituv about his grandfather’s life.

Dr Laura Cohen (pictured), Chair of Menorah Synagogue, then shared the heartbreaking stories of their first two adopted hostages, Itay Chen and Eden Yerushalmi, both victims of Hamas.

Itay’s body remains in Gaza, while Eden, kidnapped at the Supernova music festival, was later found by the Israeli army in Rafah in September, part of a group of six hostages who had been brutally murdered.

Laura also spoke about Menorah’s third adopted hostage, Eitan Mor, who has been missing since October 7th, when he was a security guard at the music festival. Menorah recently sent Eitan’s family a letter filled with seven pages of heartfelt messages from synagogue members.

Laura said: “It was important that different communities, Progressive and Orthodox, came together as one, to show solidarity by remembering the lives of those who had been murdered, and praying for the return of the remaining hostages.”

The service exemplified the power of unity and collective strength in the face of tragedy, with communities coming together to honour and remember those lost, while holding hope for the safe return of the remaining hostages in Gaza.