Top Israeli TV comedy series creator and writer Hen Avigdori has built a successful career working on jokes and punching up scripts for satires and sitcoms like The Jews Are Coming, Sofsheli, Ad Kan! and Tzomet Miller. However, his life took a tragic turn when on October 7th, Hamas attacked Kibbutz Be’eri in southern Israel, resulting in the abduction of his wife, Sharon Avigdori, and his 12-year-old daughter, Noam, along with five other family members.
The day had started like any other, with Hen receiving a message from his wife and daughter, reporting that they were heading to the safe room and everything was okay. However, an hour later, he received a chilling update from his brother-in-law, who reported that they were in big trouble and hoped they would survive. Sadly, Hen’s brother-in-law, along with two other family members, was found dead. The fate of Sharon, Noam, and the other hostages remained unknown, believed to be held captive in Gaza after their house was burned down.
Devastated and desperate for the safe return of his loved ones, Hen took to the media to plead for help. In a Zoom call, he appealed to people worldwide, especially urging fellow creatives in Hollywood to assist in bringing his family home. He emphasized the urgency of the situation, stressing that the hostages, including women, children, babies, the elderly, and people with special needs, needed to be reunited with their loved ones as soon as possible.
As the Israeli military responded to the Hamas attack by initiating an ongoing retaliation in Gaza, the number of casualties in Kibbutz Be’eri reached around 100 out of a community of approximately 1,100 people. Hen’s anguish and desperation extended to Americans, whom he implored to write to their local politicians, urging support and action to bring the Gaza hostages home. This humanitarian plea was echoed by Tel Aviv-based filmmaker Shira Havron, who emphasized the significance of the world’s attention and support for the 242 hostages held in Gaza.
The gravity of the situation hit home for Aaron Geva, the co-director and script editor of the Israeli TV comedy Chanshi, when he learned that 12 of his family members were under attack at Kibbutz Be’eri. The events of October 7th forever changed the lives of those directly impacted, leaving families in agony and uncertainty as they awaited any sign of life from their missing loved ones and hoped for their safe return.
Amid the chaos and destruction, Hen shared heartfelt memories of his daughter Noam, recalling her love for walking dogs and promising her a dog of her choice upon her return. These ordinary and endearing moments served as a poignant reminder of the human lives at stake and the imperative to take action to bring them back safely.
For Shira Havron, the niece of hostages Shoshan Haran and Adi Shosham, and descendants from a family that founded Kibbutz Be’eri, the distress was compounded by the uncertainty surrounding the fate of their loved ones. The plea for a simple sign of life from the Red Cross and the urgent need to bring them back underscored the urgency and gravity of the situation. The tragic events of October 7th had shattered countless lives, leaving a community in mourning and countless families grappling with the unbearable weight of the unknown.
As the world hears these harrowing accounts and realizes the human toll of the conflict, the call to action becomes unequivocal. Every effort, whether individual, communal, or at the international level, is imperative in the fight to bring these hostages back to safety. The urgency to act now, to rally for their release, and to advocate for their well-being is a pressing and universal responsibility. With the lives of the hostages hanging in the balance, there is no time to spare, and every voice and effort counts towards their safe return.
