Department for the Promotion of Aliya co-organized the event where thousands of people in New York City’s Times Square viewed an empty Shabbat table set for 224 people, symbolizing the 224 hostages held captive by the terrorist group Hamas.

Purim is one of the most joyful Jewish holidays, established to commemorate the miraculous salvation of the Jews in the Persian Empire from extermination.

On Saturday, February 15, after a long 498 days in captivity, three more hostages finally returned home – Yair Horn, Sasha Trufanov, and Sagi Dekel-Hen.