Tie a Blue Ribbon for the hostages
On October 7, Hamas kidnapped over 230 Israelis and other foreign nationals as hostages. With the end of the ceasefire in November 2023 and the resumption of hostilities in Gaza, Israel believes that over 132 hostages remain, including two children, although the IDF has confirmed the deaths of 18 hostages due to new intelligence and findings from soldiers in Gaza.
“Blue Ribbons for Life” is the largest national ribbon effort and aims to maintain public awareness of the hostages for as long as possible, said David Goodtree, one of the campaign organizers.
David Goodtree and his wife, Rabbi Leslie Gordon (Photo courtesy)
“Blue Ribbons for life is an American movement to put the hostages first,” David Goodtree, one of the founders of the organization, told Israel365 News, “What happened on October 7 occurred in Israel and Gaza but it doesn’t only affect Israelis. Some hostages were citizens of other nations.”
The campaign echoes a prominent ribbon yellow campaign during the Iran hostage crisis of 1979-80. The organization chose blue as the color for the ribbons because this color is most common to the flags of the countries with the most hostages: the United States, Israel, and also Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, France, Nepal, Netherlands, Philippines, Russia, Tanzania, Ukraine, and the UK.
“Israel is the epicenter of the activities but it is not exclusively the center of the meaning or the impact,” Goodtree explained. “It is a Jewish topic and there are American hostages as well. It is about Israel’s safety and security but it is also a regional security topic. It is also about American safety and security.”
“Displaying blue ribbons is to keep this in the minds of everyone,” Goodtree said. “It is a humanitarian topic that should unite everyone. We should come together as neighbors, as Americans who are concerned about the hostages. This is not political. It is a grassroots national movement. Everyone is aware of what happened in October and so far, everyone I have approached has said ‘yes’. Many have said they are praying for the hostages.”
“The blue ribbon symbolizes support and solidarity for the safe return of the hostages taken by Hamas terrorists in Israel,” the website explains. “It symbolizes solidarity with the hostages, their families, and all who care about their safety.”
“Wearing a ribbon publicly unites you with people of all religions, races, nationalities, ethnicities, ages, and generations and demonstrates for the people of Israel that they are not alone and that good people across the globe are with them and their families during this dark time.”
”Send a powerful message of solidarity by wearing your ribbon.”
Individuals can show this powerful message of solidarity simply by tying a blue ribbon in a visible place in their front yard. If a person or organization wants, they can order blue ribbons from the Blue Ribbons organization or make creative blue ribbons. The organization also has a template that can be added to social media.
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