This piece is part of our Witnessing series, which shares pieces from Israeli authors and authors in Israel, as well as the experiences of Jewish writers around the globe in the aftermath of October 7th.
It is critical to understand history not just through the books that will be written later, but also through the first-hand testimonies and real-time accounting of events as they occur. At Jewish Book Council, we understand the value of these written testimonials and of sharing these individual experiences. It’s more important now than ever to give space to these voices and narratives.
The Dual Loss
In an era in which the boundaries between truth and falsehood are more blurred than ever, the testimony of Eli Sharabi, the released hostage, resonates pure authenticity. His directness, openness, and powerful presence touched our hearts deeply and evoked fundamental questions about humanity’s nature in times of crisis.
The immediate grief is of course for the loss of life — for all the murdered and the fallen, for the little redheaded children, for the protective mother. But beneath this layer lies a deeper grief: mourning the loss of humanity itself. As a people who experienced the Holocaust, this strikes at a point that has barely healed, a painful reminder that violence has not disappeared from the world, but has only changed its form.
The Polish poet Czesław Miłosz wrote in “A Song on the End of the World”: “As long as the sun and the moon are above / As long as the bumblebee visits a rose / As long as rosy infants are born / No one believes it is happening now.”
The Boundaries of Human Responsibility
Terror and violence raise disturbing questions about the boundaries of human responsibility. As the philosopher Emmanuel Levinas noted, the ethical moment of responsibility toward the “other” precedes any philosophical discourse. Levinas believed encountering the “other’s” face imposes an absolute responsibility that cannot be transferred or disowned. It is a responsibility that Sharabi presented in the interview in a tangible, shocking way — it was clear from his face that he yearned to save the hostage Alon Ohel, who was left behind in Hamas captivity.
But what happens when an entire society disavows its responsibility? Society has failed to instill the value of all human beings regardless of their religion, nationality, ideology, or location.
Silent Resistance
Within the darkness and decay of captivity, the hostages found creative ways to maintain their identity and sanity. Sharabi says that Ohel “is constantly moving his fingers on his body.” These simple words reveal an entire world of silent resistance.
When his body became an imaginary piano, his fingers continued to play melodies that no one but him could hear. With these subtle movements, Alon maintained an inner dialogue with his sense of self and life outside the tunnel walls. The movements of his fingers on his body are not just a survival mechanism; they stand as proof of the strength of the human spirit, of the music that continues to resonate even when the world falls silent. A hidden piano is hidden within his body, and Alon preserved his humanity through his creativity in conditions intended to strip it from him. Alon did not let the brutal captivity cut him off from the music running in his blood.
This example embodies the French philosopher and writer Simone Weil’s statement, “To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul.” Our roots are like anchors we cling to in times of crisis and destruction. The ability to create a whole inner world, even as the outside world is crumbling, might be one of the most sublime expressions of humanity. It serves as a reminder that humanity is not merely an abstract concept, but a daily practice of resistance and a persistent claim to our existence as conscious, emotional, and creative beings.
Humanity as a Universal Value
Bertolt Brecht wrote, “Food comes first and then morality.” There is a deep truth in this — basic needs must be met before moral behavior can be demanded. Brecht actually points out that without the fulfillment of basic needs, an emotional and existential void is created, morality becomes a luxury, and therefore it can be manipulated and easily shaped by those who hold power.
Human mutual responsibility cannot be built on a relative basis. It must be founded on the recognition of human value as a human being. Kant presented this as the supreme principle of morality: “Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never merely as a means to an end, but always at the same time as an end.” This is an enormous challenge in a world where ideologies tend to turn people into “others,” into symbols of evil or threat, thereby enabling the shirking of moral responsibility towards them.
Beyond Momentary Emotion
Sharabi’s testimony invites us to deal with these questions not only on an emotional level, but also on an intellectual and practical level. Shock and pain are appropriate human responses, but the real challenge is to think beyond the moment — beyond the fleeting emotion — toward active hope.
In his work “The Cure at Troy,” the poet Heaney says: “History says, don’t hope/On this side of the grave…” He describes the gloomy realization that history is a series of violent and hopeless cycles. But then come the lines, “But then, once in a lifetime/The longed-for tidal wave/Of justice can rise up, / And hope and history rhyme.” This is a call to think beyond the present moment; to think towards critical and creative observation that can lead to change. There are rare moments when the cycle of violence and despair can be broken, and when justice can prevail.
Toward a Shared Humanity
Humanity is not merely biological; it is an ongoing cultural project. In a world divided by ideologies, religions, and national perceptions, the challenge is to create a common language of humanity, enabling dialogue across these boundaries. It does not mean we should ignore differences or abandon unique cultural identities. But it encourages us to strive for a world where cruelty has no place.
The Poet in Times of Crisis
In a world dominated by competing narratives, the poet asks questions and offers a different perspective — it is not necessarily an objective point of view, but one that seeks to expose human complexity in its entirety. The distinctive role of the poet is to bring out the humanity within discourse saturated with ideology and hatred; to remind us that behind the numbers and statistics, there are living and breathing human beings, loving and hurting. Poetry must undermine the grand narratives and slogans and remind us of the possibilities of beauty, tenderness, compassion, hope, and the dream for a better future. Within an often violent reality, this is not an easy task, but it is especially necessary in times of crisis and destruction.
Sharabi’s testimony provides us with a mirror that reflects our society as it is, going beyond what took place on October 7. The reflection offers no magical solutions to the shortcomings of our society. It requires of us constant work — in education, intercultural dialogue, and creating spaces where humanity can flourish. It involves recognizing the human aspects of all people.
Humanity is not static; it involves dynamic, ever-changing learning and development. Each crisis and confrontation presents us with the following question: Will we choose a path that strengthens our shared humanity, or one that weakens it? This is a question that each of us must ask and answer as we make our choices every day.
The views and opinions expressed above are those of the author, based on their observations and experiences.
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Lali Michaeli is the nonconformist of Israeli poetry, daring to shout what others were ashamed to think, became a symbol of rebellion and anti-establishment. Even now, when she learns foreign languages, is invited to participate in international poetry festivals all over the world and wins international awards, she refuses to screw with the Israeli mainstream. She maintains her status as a solo poet. The Israeli political poems “Mr. Prime Minister” (2009) and “Democracy” (2016) alongside universal poems like “Paint me ablaze” and “Every time we make love” show the layers of her poetry. The intra-poetic, personal, interpersonal and human dialogue is the how and what of her writing. This is an attempt to build bridges in impossible places. “The poetry of Lali Michaeli once again proves that excellent poetry can also be sexy and innovative.” — Dory Manor
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