These are the survivors, the last 20 living hostages who spent 738 days in the unimaginable conditions of Hamas captivity yet never stopped hoping, yearning, and believing
“And all those who returned from captivity dwelt in their succos… and there was great joy in the land…” (Nechemiah 8:17)
For the last two years, the entire Jewish world has been praying for them, fearing for their fate. And now, by the grace of Hashem, on Hoshana Rabbah — the last day of Succos and the day of the sweetening of decrees — they returned to the embrace of their families.
These are the survivors, the last 20 living hostages who spent 738 days in the unimaginable conditions of Hamas captivity yet never stopped hoping, yearning, and believing.
Bar was one of those sons upon whom the entire family leaned. When he was 16, his father , Tal, was injured in a car accident while volunteering for United Hatzalah, and a subsequent stroke meant he lost both speech and mobility. Bar took the reins and ran the family falafel enterprise until his army service.
Bar, who had just completed his army service, was working security for the Nova festival, and according to survivors, he began to care for those shot and injured by terrorists, going back again to help evacuate the wounded, instead of escaping and saving himself. It became clear from social media footage that Bar had been kidnapped to Gaza — hands and feet bound, shouting his name while held by terrorists.
Last winter, more than a year after his abduction, the family received the first sign of life from a Hamas propaganda video that they requested not be publicized.
Create a free account to keep reading.
