Speaking to Shai Graucher, an Orthodox Jew and the chairman of charity group Together We Win, along with members of the Jewish community in Miami, has been actively supporting captivity survivors and their families.
Freed hostage Keith Siegel shares his journey of faith in Hamas captivity
(Video: Shlomi Cohen)
Siegel recounted how he found solace in religious rituals: "I started saying blessings before meals, ‘Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.’ After every meal, I also recited blessings. I didn’t remember all of them, but I saw someone on TV saying, ‘Bor'e Minei Mezonot,’ so I started using that," Siegel said.
Siegel, who is from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, also shared that he occasionally watched Hebrew-language cooking shows on television while in captivity. "I was able to watch a bit of Israeli television, and they talked about good places to eat in Tel Aviv," he said during his meeting with Graucher.
In addition to blessings, Siegel described other prayers he recited while in captivity: "I remember saying 'Shema Yisrael' twice a day and adding 'Baruch Shem Kevod Malchuto Le'olam Va'ed Amen.' The first thing I wanted to do when I returned was kiddush, to bless 'Hamotzi.' In Gaza, there’s no alcohol and no grape juice for Kiddush."
Graucher, moved by his conversation with Siegel, remarked, "I came to offer strength, but it seems he’s the one strengthening us." Also present at the meeting was Keith’s wife, Aviva, who had also been abducted to Gaza and was released in the previous deal in November 2023 after 51 days in captivity. Aviva shared her own experiences, saying, "There was a moment when I told myself, 'I’m not going to pray to Allah.'"
She elaborated: "Even though I was forced to, they would pray in front of us, and it wasn’t clear who they were praying to. I moved my lips, but I wasn’t truly praying. They were so cruel to us, and I couldn’t understand it. How can you pray and be so evil? I just don’t get it."
As part of the initiative to support former hostages, Graucher and the Jewish community in Miami have been visiting those who recently returned home. Over the past few days, Graucher delivered letters of encouragement and provided several gifts, including a computer, a watch, headphones and a financial grant to assist with reintegration into daily life.
