By Dr. Israel Jamitovsky
As the days go by, news emerges that further confirms the terrifying situation experienced by the freed hostages and that unfortunately those who have not yet obtained their freedom continue to endure. The torture and physical and psychological harassment to which they were subjected, poorly fed and suffering from hunger, lacking medical attention in cases where it was urgently needed, many of them chained and locked in tunnels and in the midst of agonizing loneliness.
But in all this gloomy panorama, the observance of the Jewish faith and certain religious practices displayed by some hostages stood out, which certainly infused energy and courage into their spirits and those around them, essential to face the distressing situation they encountered and to trust in a better future. Here are some examples that were disclosed, namely:
Sapir Cohen recounted that he used to pray chapters from the Psalms that strengthened his faith and spirit.
Shir Siegel said that her father Keith Siegel strengthened his Jewish identity during his imprisonment through short prayers that he had never uttered before, such as the famous Hear Israel prayer or the blessing after meals. No one intervened or influenced his decision, not even texts that he naturally could not access or claim the influence of others. His daughter added that when he regained his freedom she asked him what he wanted to eat for his first Sabbath meal in freedom, and her father replied that the main thing was to obtain a skullcap and a cup to say the relevant Sabbath blessing before the start of the festive meal.
Agam Berger said that the Hamas terrorists gave her a prayer book (Sidur in Hebrew) that they had found in Gaza and that was very useful during their captivity. She added that, to the best of their ability, they celebrated Jewish holidays, and did not eat foods forbidden by Jewish tradition during Passover. She fasted on the Day of Atonement and the Fasts of Esther and the 9th of Av, even though her daily diet was very poor. She also decided to observe the Sabbath and on several occasions her guards brought her candles so that she could bless the Sabbath. On more than one occasion she refused to light a fire during the Sabbath. After her release, on the plane that took her to Israel, she wrote the following inscription on a portable blackboard: I chose the path of faith and I am returning to the path of faith.
Ohad Ben Ami of Kibbutz Beeri said that faith in the Almighty kept him upright and saved him as Omer Shem Tov began to observe the Sabbath as well as other precepts of Jewish tradition.
A parallel process was taking place in the hostages' families, and what is interesting is that this development was of an autonomous nature, an entirely individual decision. One was unaware of the changes that were taking place in parallel in very close members of one's family. It was a decision of one's own free will. In all cases, all of them were not reduced to a mere affirmation of faith, but to the fulfillment, as far as possible, of fundamental precepts of Jewish tradition.
Reverse or understandable process?
This weekend, in one of the supplements of the Israeli weekly Makor Rishon (First Source), the Orthodox Zionist Rabbi Chaim Navon, somewhat presented an inverse picture. After warmly praising the work carried out by some of the hostages invoked, he pointed out that both he and his fellow rabbis were frequently approached by observant and practicing families from the very beginning of their lives and educated in religious spaces in order to obtain legitimacy, approval and thus reduce Sabbath observance during the course of the war, such as, for example, being updated on what was happening via cell phone during Shabbat.
Rabbi Navon is quick to clarify that he does not intend to judge anyone, much less in times of war. Consider the natural tension of parents whose sons and daughters serve on different fronts in Israel. He points out that while nuclei educated in the religious Zionist stream and belonging to religious communities encountered difficulties in these circumstances and felt impeded from fully complying with the Sabbath regulations, on the other hand, hostages who did not grow up or were educated in religious spaces and even in inhumane conditions, stoically fulfilled the precepts of Jewish tradition.
All this, of course, without prejudice to emphasizing - as the Israeli press has done - the enormous tribute that religious Zionist fighters have also paid in this war.
Conclusions for the future
Obviously, it is premature to draw conclusions for the future. For the time being, it is unknown whether the position of the hostages invoked represents the majority of them or is it just a minority. It will also have to be seen whether we are dealing with a circumstantial and temporary phenomenon or whether, due to the fortitude shown by these hostages, this is a definitive and decisive step in their lives. It will be interesting to see to what extent faith and religious practices will influence the long and complex process of recovery that these hostages are facing.
However, at the level of Israeli society, these do not appear to be isolated cases, but rather a process with broader implications. A survey promoted by the Institute for Freedom and Responsibility at the Reichman University of Israel indicates that 37% of the Israeli population between 15 and 38 years of age experienced an increase in religious faith, and the same was recorded in 18% of the adult population aged 56 and over.