The prayer service at Sha'ar Hanegev
The prayer service at Sha'ar HanegevHostages' Families Headquarters

A prayer for Yom Kippur Eve was held today at Sha'ar Hanegev Junction, with the participation of hundreds of worshippers, kidnapped families, Rabbi Dror Tevel, the Rabbi of Sderot, and Rabbi David Pendel.

At the conclusion of the service, Leah Miran-Lavi, the wife of hostage Omri Miran, spoke: "I stand here today, 371 days after our world was turned upside down, when Omri, my husband and the father of my daughters, was taken from us. In my heart I am deeply grateful to each and every one of you who came today, who prayed with us, who carried with us our unbearable pain. Your presence is a testament to the power of unity, to the might of prayer."

"371 days and we are still on the same day. The day that never ends. The memories and pictures of that cursed day come back to me and will not let go. Our Ronnie is 3 and still says good night to Daddy every night, and asks when Daddy will come back from Gaza. Our Alma is 18 months. A year without a father, our Elma who knows her father from a photograph and already asks - where is daddy?"

"Ronnie, Alma, Omri and I were hostages that day. Ronnie, Alma and I are still hostages here and our Omri and with him another 100 men, women, child and baby are hostages in Gaza. So far away but so close. The fear and uncertainty are part of our lives from that day. And alongside we cling to the hope that soon it will be over. As on that day, so today we still wait, pray, hope. We stand here, as a people, as a community, asking forgiveness from the Creator."

"We are also pleading for humanitarian mercy, for the compassion of man to man. And on this day in particular I wish to ask forgiveness from the 101 members of our people who have not yet returned to Israel and hope that one day I will be able to ask forgiveness from Omri when he will be able to truly respond and forgive me and all of us for the time when he was in captivity. Our prayers today are also for the opening of human hearts."

"May we all merit to see Omri and all the abductees return home, the living to rehabilitation and the dead to proper burial in the soil of Israel. May we at last be able to begin the process of healing, forgiveness, and redemption. Thank you again to all of you for your support, your prayers, your love. Together, with God's help, we will see all our loved ones return home soon."