Today we went to Hostages Square in Tel Aviv. Hostages Square is a public plaza located in front of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, and a place where families of the hostages taken during the attack have encamped. Today was the first time I had ever been there, and it was an emotional trip. What really hit me hard was the sight of a big Shabbat table set for the hostages, and to see two little baby chairs seated at the table as well. Another thing that was hard to see was the makeshift Gaza tunnel exhibit that was placed within the square. It really shows you the harsh conditions that these innocent men, women, and children have to go through. There were speakers within the tunnel that echoed footsteps, sirens, and even bombs. Just to step inside the tunnel sent a chill down my spine, but I kept going because it’s important to be exposed to the hard things. Another experience that stuck with me was listening to one of the women in the tents, talking about the hostages. She showed us an informal exhibit that portrayed amputated limbs, bloody, and on hooks, and she talked about how this was the image the survivors of the Nova music festival saw coming from the tunnels. Seeing all these things really makes you appreciate what you have right now, and the privilege that we live in America and don’t have to go through a war as tough as this one. Especially now that I have been in Israel during this war, it’s almost like you feel everything yourself, and when one of us are kidnapped, we all feel it as a people.