11/24/2025
Federation Hostage Sign Updated to Reflect Ceasefire
Article reprinted with permission from Cleveland Jewish News.
A 15-foot-tall and 10-foot-wide ribbon at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland in Beachwood displaying the faces of the 240 hostages has been updated with a new design to reflect Israel’s ceasefire deal with Hamas. The ribbon has been visible outside the Federation facing Richmond Road since December 2023.
A ribbon displaying the faces of 240 hostages held captive by Hamas at the onset of their attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, facing Richmond Road outside the Jewish Federation of Cleveland in Beachwood, has been updated with doves. Submitted photo
The ribbon was created by local Judaic artist Nancy Schwartz-Katz with the help of Sharon Rosenbaum, an executive officer of the Federation’s board of trustees.
This version of the ribbon is an exhale – a collective breath that carries hope for peace.
In reimagining this installation, the Federation asked how to honor this moment, how to hold both relief and sorrow, both gratitude and grief.
“There are no adequate words. What remains is a universal hope for peace – and a wish that all who have suffered may find a path toward healing in this complicated world,” Schwartz-Katz said. “The doves, timeless symbols of peace and freedom, felt right. They evoke release, renewal, and the fragile possibility of calm after chaos. We hold hope for lasting peace in Israel and celebrate the release of all who have returned home."
The original sign had the words “Still captive” and the second one had the words “Let them go.”
The original sign was sponsored by Pam and Craig Kahn and the latest dove installation is sponsored by Lesley Kaye.
