Nearly 100 members of the St. Louis community gathered in Creve Coeur Monday to mark 150 days since the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel. They gathered for the unveiling of “Ribbon of Hope,” a display that depicts the faces of the approximate 130 hostages still being held in Gaza.
A large blue-and-white ribbon paying tribute to the Israeli hostages will be unveiled at 5 p.m. on Monday, March 4 at 11557 Olive Blvd. in Creve Coeur. A community ceremony will accompany the introduction of the “Ribbon of Hope,” a 15-foot by 10-foot installation. The ribbon depicts the faces of all of the hostages still being held in Gaza.
The display will remain at 11557 Olive Blvd. for three weeks. It will then move to United Hebrew Congregation if the hostages are still being held at that time.
The original version of the ribbon is located outside the Jewish Federation of Cleveland where it was installed on Dec. 22. The artwork was designed by Nancy Schwartz-Katz, a Cleveland-based Judaic artist who specializes in gouache on paper. Schwartz-Katz said the concept for Ribbon of Hope was designed to show support for the hostages.
“The ribbon symbolizes support and solidarity for the safe return of the hostages,” Schwartz-Katz said. “And it puts the individual faces that people can relate to of the children, of the parents, of the grandparents, of everybody who’s being held by Hamas and make it straightforward for people to see. You can see it from any angle.
“So many people are in their own homes and in their own heads, and here’s a way for them to feel that it’s a connection to the community. We are all a part of this community and we all want these people that are just like you and me to come home.”
The event was planned by the Israeli American Council and St. Louis Friends of Israel. Both organizations commissioned the project, using Schwartz-Katz’s artwork. It was fabricated by a local contractor, Arthur Kotets, who donated the frame and materials.
