My son Tamir loves the tradition and togetherness of Jewish holidays, and Hanukkah is his favorite. For each of the eight nights of the festival of lights, he gathers the whole family together to light the candles. He loves the songs and the food, and he has a particularly soft spot for my sufganiot (donuts) made with yogurt.

A photo of Tamir standing behind the menorah with a huge smile on his face, a dreidel visible in his sister’s hand in the foreground, has been printed thousands of times on posters and t-shirts alongside his name and our plea: Bring Him Home Now!

Tamir was taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023. A kind, sensitive young man, he was serving in the corps that handles continuing education for soldiers. He had received an IDF award for excellent service and was being considered for officer training. On Oct. 7, he was stationed in the Gaza office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), which facilitates logistical coordination between Israel and the Gaza Strip, including humanitarian aid, when dozens of Hamas terrorists broke into his barracks near the Erez Crossing.

Of the six young men in Tamir’s unit, three were killed by terrorists on Oct. 7. Tamir and two of his friends were filmed being led by terrorists walking into Gaza. In November 2023, the bodies of the other two men with whom Tamir was kidnapped were returned to Israel for burial. We have not had a sign of life since Oct. 7.

Since Tamir’s kidnapping, we have fought every day for his return. We have knocked on every door, spoken at rallies across Israel and around the world and met with countless diplomats and government officials. We attend events at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, where we’ve spent countless nights keeping vigil alongside other families. We’ve shared Tamir’s story with international media, carried his photo through the streets of New York and London and pleaded before the United Nations. Every morning, I wake up hoping this will be the day we get news of his release; and every night, I go to bed imagining him alone in the dark, waiting for us to bring him home. The uncertainty of not knowing his condition — whether he’s miraculously survived what his comrades did not, whether he has enough food and water — is unbearable. But we won’t stop fighting until he’s back in our arms.

The question I receive the most from friends and strangers is, “How can I help you in your fight?”

Most importantly, we can’t let the world forget about the 100 souls who have been torn from their families. There are many ways to do this. Contact your elected representatives and demand they prioritize the immediate release of all hostages. Join or organize rallies or events in your community to keep their stories in the public eye. Share the hostages’ faces, names and stories on social media with the hashtag #BringThemHomeNow. Write to your local newspapers and media outlets asking them to continue covering the hostages’ plight. You can support the Hostages and Missing Families Forum and other organizations that are working tirelessly for their release through donating or volunteering. Every voice raised brings us closer to bringing them home.

Next week, if a deal isn’t reached for the hostages to come home, Tamir will celebrate his second Hanukkah in captivity, deep in the dark tunnels of Gaza. For the second year running, he won’t be lighting the candles with his younger sisters. He won’t be singing the songs and eating latkes and donuts. He won’t be opening his gifts. 

Our single prayer for this festival of lights is for the miracle of my son and the other 99 hostages to return to the warmth of home — safe and whole — to celebrate his favorite holiday with those who love him the most.

Herut Nimrodi is the mother of Tamir Nimrodi, who has been held hostage in Gaza for 441 days.