Released hostages found God in their kidnap hell
When humans suffer most, that is often when they turn to a higher power.
by Oriel Moran
For the Israeli hostages held under Hamas captivity in Gaza, there were many reasons to hope a higher power was watching over them as they endured unimaginable starvation, beatings, abuse, physical and mental torture, interrogation, sexual assault, and humiliation. All freedoms were taken away from them, but amidst incredible cruelty, there was one thing their captors couldn’t take away even if they limited or attempted to prevent it – their faith. As released hostages began to share their individual experiences, there was a common ‘God thread’ woven into their stories.
Some were kept in the Hamas tunnels, the ‘Gaza metro’ – a network larger than the London Underground – with metres of dirt separating them from fresh air, light, and safety. And yet still, they understood that there is no place where God cannot see them. With empty stomachs and the fear of God, they placed a reverent hand over their heads.
Female hostages
Female IDF observation officers (lookouts) Agam Berger (held for 482 days) and Liri Albag (477 days) kept their faith in captivity. Agam decided to take it upon herself to keep the sabbath. Through Israeli television, she and Liri discovered the Hebrew date from which they could count to a fast day, ‘Tisha b’Av’, appropriately the saddest day in the Jewish calendar, when notable disasters happened. That helped them calculate when the Jewish feasts took place, so they fasted on Yom Kippur (despite the little food they received), asked for an apple and honey for the Jewish New Year (‘Rosh Hashana’) and corn flour so they wouldn’t have to eat yeast (leaven) during the Passover (the Last Supper, taken by Jesus with his disciples, was a Passover meal).
You must be logged in as a subscriber to view this content.