Singing Shalom Aleichem in Arabic

Aharon Rabi, the grandfather of freed hostage Eliya Cohen, leads a Havdalah service marking the end of the Jewish Sabbath for Cohen and fellow freed hostages at Beilinson Hospital

Freed Israeli hostage Daniella Gilboa recently shared that during her captivity, she and four fellow hostages learned to recite the traditional Shabbat song Shalom Aleichem in Arabic—out of fear they would be overheard.

Her revelation is one of many stories of faith that emerged from the hostages in Gaza, demonstrating how faith and Jewish observance provided them with strength and resilience in their darkest moments.

Gilboa, one of seven female soldiers abducted during the Simchat Torah massacre on October 7, 2023, was released last month after 15 months in captivity. The 20-year-old, who was forced to record a staged video faking her death, told Israel’s Channel 13 that observing Shabbat was of immense importance to her and her fellow hostages and they would try to make the traditional Shabbat evening blessing over wine, even over water.

The Miraculous Grape Juice

Omer, 22, was kidnapped from the Nova music festival and originally held alongside his friend Itay Regev, who was released in the first hostage deal in November 2023.

After his return, Itay recounted how Omer had begun observing Shabbat while in captivity, longing for the Friday night dinners he shared with his family. The two hostages kept track of the days of the week, and when their captors gave them a bottle of grape juice, they saved it for Shabbat. 

Omer shared: "For five months in captivity, I had a small bottle of grape juice that I used to make Kiddush. During that entire time, the bottle never emptied, and the juice never turned sour. It truly reminded me of the miracle of the cruse of oil on Chanukah. This is just one of many experiences I had that showed me how good G-d is and how present He was with me there."

On Friday nights, they would cover their heads with toilet paper as a substitute for kippahs, recite Kiddush over the grape juice, and make a blessing on a pita, dipping it in the saved salt they had repurposed from pretzels.

Omer also refrained from activities forbidden on Shabbat. Since power in their holding area was cut off each evening at 5 PM, they were given flashlights—but Omer refused to turn his on during Shabbat, choosing to remain in darkness.

As Omer’s family fought tirelessly for his release, his mother Shelly found herself drawing closer to Judaism. Exactly one year before his release, she attended a Shabbat gathering for hostage families. It was her first time fully keeping Shabbat.

She later wrote:

"That Shabbat, I made a decision to continue keeping it. And more than I kept Shabbat, Shabbat kept me. And now, G-d willing, this Shabbat I will hold my son in my arms—exactly one year later. It’s amazing!"

A Reunion of Faith

After their release, former hostages Omer Shem Tov, Eliya Cohen, and Omer Wenkert were taken to Beilinson Hospital. That Saturday night, they gathered around Eliya’s grandfather as he led them in Havdalah, marking the end of Shabbat.

The ceremony was deeply emotional, filled with prayers for the safe return of all hostages, for the protection of Israel’s soldiers, and for peace and prosperity for our brothers and sisters worldwide.

Disconnect to Reconnect:

In an era where modern technology keeps us constantly connected, it paradoxically can leave us feeling more isolated than ever. Our nation is facing a major public health crisis, with rising levels of anxiety, loneliness, dissatisfaction, and depression.

While technology offers tremendous opportunities for growth and prosperity, if not properly managed, it can turn us into "captives" of our own devices—gradually distancing us from our families, friends, emotions, and even our own souls.

Shabbat offers us a chance to disconnect from the digital world and reconnect with what truly matters.

In this week’s Torah portion, we learn about the Mitzvah of Shabbat:

“Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have sanctity, a day of complete rest to the Lord.” (Exodus 35:2)

Shabbat is more than just a day of physical rest—it is a spiritual anchor, grounding us in faith, family, and purpose. As the Zohar explains:

“Shabbat brings blessings to the rest of the week.”

While each of us has unique personal and professional responsibilities that consume most of our day, it is crucial to remember why we are working. Shabbat allows us to take a step back from daily life and reconnect with our Jewish identity while strengthening our relationships with our family, community, and G-d.

Shabbat empowers us to cherish, reveal, and safeguard the most important aspects of our lives—things that no device can replace and no amount of money can buy.

Honoring and celebrating Shabbat infuses the entire week with a higher purpose. 

Shabbat: A Reminder of G-d’s Presence

The underlying concept of Shabbat is to ingrain within us the knowledge that G-d created and governs the entire world and provides for our needs. This realization profoundly influences our conduct during the week and our perspective on life.

When we embrace this awareness, our work no longer consumes us. Our hearts and minds remain focused on the true purpose of life: Raising a strong Jewish family, contributing generously to our community, deepening our relationship with G-d and positively impacting the world through Torah study and Mitzvot.

By doing so, we transform the world into a dwelling place for the Divine.

A Call to Action

For those who are just beginning to explore Shabbat, try observing the first few hours. Light Shabbat candles before sunset on Friday, share a Shabbat dinner with family and friends, set aside digital distractions to experience the peace of Shabbat.

For those who already observe Shabbat, consider deepening the experience by: Avoiding business or political discussions, dedicating more time to family, prayer, Torah learning, and reflection.

Shabbat: A Glimpse of the Future

Just as the weekly cycle culminates in Shabbat, Jewish tradition teaches that history itself is moving toward an era of redemption and unity—a time that will be a global Shabbat.

The great scholar Nachmanides writes that the six days of Creation correspond to the six thousand years of the world’s existence. According to the Jewish calendar, we are now in the year 5785, nearing the end of the sixth millennium, which corresponds to Friday afternoon before sunset.

We are standing on the threshold of the ultimate Shabbat—the time of Moshiach, a future of peace, holiness, and divine revelation.

May we merit to see that day speedily in our time!