In the heart of Jerusalem, where a war with Iran has emptied the streets and silenced the nights – a yellow piano stands alone, waiting for someone to remember
It was placed in Safra Square, beside the Jerusalem Municipality building, covered with stickers, adorned with a yellow ribbon, and engraved with the name Alon Ohel – a 24-year-old musician, student, and hostage still held by Hamas after over 600 days. But now, no one plays it. No one even stops
And in this silence – you hear the loneliness. His. Ours
As emergency regulations sweep through Jerusalem – shops shuttered, events cancelled, movement restricted – the piano remains in place. A quiet monument not only to one man’s captivity, but to what society risks losing with him: its sense of solidarity
The Piano Was Meant to Speak – But No One Is Listening
For months, Jerusalem has seen campaigns, graffiti, and protests for the hostages. But time is a cruel eraser. As fear grows and the nation slips into war mode, public attention has drifted. The hostages are still in captivity – but the world has moved on
This piano was never just a decorative object. It was placed there to sing Alon’s voice through the notes he loved – a nonverbal, emotional plea to remember. Yet now it too has gone mute
And its silence says more than any headline
When Solidarity Fades – Societies Begin to Crumble
Studies in modern sociology show that communal solidarity is the backbone of any society. In times of crisis, it prevents moral collapse. When it disappears – what remains is suspicion, division, and social decay
(Jerusalem’s Brightest Landmark Goes Dark in Iran War)
A Cambridge University report found that in regions under external threat, communities lacking internal solidarity quickly spiral into instability. In Israel, where fear of Iranian missiles dominates headlines, the real collapse might be within
Between the Square and the Captivity – a City Grows Silent
Safra Square was never supposed to be quiet. But now, the music has stopped. And with it, perhaps, something within the city itself
Jerusalem isn’t truly silent. But when you forget a person – sometimes you forget what you stand for
