Together with the families of the hostages held in Gaza and two renowned wineries in Israel, Wines of Hope has found a meaningful and unique way to bring the stories of the hostages into people’s homes.
Created by the team from Wine on the Vine, Wines of Hope currently offers 14 red wine bottles dedicated to 14 individual hostages: Agam Berger, Almog Meir Jan, Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Noa Argamani, Oded Lifshitz, Ofer Calderon, Ohad Ben Ami, Omer Shem Tov, Omer Wenkert, Romi Gonen, Tal Chaimi and Tal Shoham. The Wines of Hope team is constantly working with more hostage families to create new bottles for their loved ones in captivity.
“Our goal is to raise awareness about the hostages and who they are as individuals, as well as to inspire hope among the hostage families and all those waiting for the hostages to return,” said Samantha Sharon, one of the founders of Wines of Hope. “We hope people will drink from these bottles every time they drink wine, so they can keep the hostages close to their hearts and minds and pray for their safe returns with each sip they take.”
Wines of Hope are available for online purchase in Israel and the United States. The wines come from two high-end Israeli wineries – Jezreel Valley Winery and Ramat Negev Winery – and 30% percent of the profits from bottle sales will be donated to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
Each Wines of Hope bottle is made in collaboration with the family of the hostage to whom the bottle is dedicated. The front of the bottle shows a picture of the hostage, chosen by their family, and on the back is a description that reads:
“Every bottle of wine tells a story. Wines of Hope tells the story of the 257 hostages who were taken captive by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, and specifically those who remain there until today. With every sip, we drink this wine as a symbol of hope and a yearning for their return, until the day we can drink together with them, fully rejoicing and celebrating true freedom.”
The back label also includes a description about the life of the hostage so that people can feel connected to them. The story includes what happened to them on October 7th.
In April, family members of Carmel Gat, Omer Shem Tov, Oded Lifshitz and Noa Argamani gathered at the Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Tel Aviv to meet Adam Scott Bellos and Samantha Sharon – the creators of the Wines of Hope project – to see the bottles dedicated to their family members for the first time. Each family promised to open the bottles only when their loved one returns.
“We want to thank you for this gesture,” said Yaakov Argamani, Noa’s father, to Bellos and Sharon, before making a Shehecheyanu, the Jewish prayer said to mark special occasions and to express gratitude for new and unusual experiences or possessions.
Shelly Shem Tov, the mother of the hostage Omer Shem Tov, said, “This project is a very big thing for raising awareness. People don’t think about the situation. You see this woman on a wine bottle [pointing to a bottle with Noa Argamani’s picture] and she is in captivity. Where in the world is this ok? Thank you for doing this.”
More recently, the Wines of Hope team met with the family of Alon Ohel, who was taken hostage from the Nova Music Festival. Upon receiving Alon’s bottle, Alon’s mother, Idit, remarked, “I am so emotional about this. Seeing my son on this bottle is so important, because anyone who is going to buy this wine will know more about my son and what he has been through, and what he is still going through.”
“Alon loves wine, and drinking with others,” she added. “I really wish him to come back home and be able to drink with all his friends. Being together with somebody and drinking a good wine is so important, it’s part of who we are as people.”
“It’s so important to find every single avenue for someone to learn about the stories of the hostages,” said Adam Bellos, the other founder of Wines of Hope. He went on to explain the reason he and Sharon created the project.
“The most important thing is to have people understand the current situation and to learn about the hostages. This is what we hope to deliver with Wines of Hope – a new way to explain our reality, which is the most important thing we can focus on to bring everyone home.”
Wines of Hope can be ordered online, for delivery in Israel and the United States.
To purchase in Israel, click here: https://wineonthevine.org/il/product-category/wines-of-hope/
To purchase in the United States, click here: https://wineonthevine.org/product-category/wines-of-hope/
This is a promotional article submitted by the Wines of Hope campaign.
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