Fifty meters underground in Gaza, Eli Sharabi would whisper the words of the Shema Yisrael each morning in his dark cell, clinging to faith during his 491 days of Hamas captivity.
On Thursday, the former Oct. 7 hostage was in New York to give testimony on Hamas’ atrocities to the United Nations Security Council. Hours after his chilling account, Sharabi needed a moment at the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s gravesite.
His hands trembled slightly as he lit a candle for his loved ones. Upon his release, Sharabi had learned that his wife and two daughters had been brutally murdered during the Hamas massacre on October 7. The bodies of his brother Yossi and nephew Noam still remain in Gaza.
Standing at the Ohel, Sharabi said Kaddish and read aloud the name of every hostage still in captivity before placing his note at the grave. During his visit, he received a dollar that the Rebbe had once given as a symbol of protection. When Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion appeared, the two embraced without words before finally wishing each other success.
Sharabi had previously spoken quietly about the small acts of faith that sustained him as he was being tortured by Hamas.
“What gave me strength was saying Shema Yisrael every morning. Every Friday night, we tried to make Kiddush. We didn’t have wine, so we used water. It was the faith that kept us alive. With the strength of faith and unity,” he said.
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