Captivity survivor Agam Berger on Wednesday evening called on the public to attend a reading of the Book of Esther, which is read during the holiday of Purim, to take place at Hostages Square on Thursday evening.
"Dear people of Israel, I invite all of you to the reading of the Megillah on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Hostages Square," Berger opened her call to the public.
She added, "Together, we will all reverse the lot and bring back our 59 brothers and sisters, the living and the dead, so that we leave no one behind. We are their voice, they need us, come and be a part of it."
Last Friday, Berger called on the wider public to observe Shabbat Zachor (the Shabbat before Purim, dedicated to remembering the biblical command to blot out the memory of Amalek -ed.), as a gesture for the return of the hostages and in memory of the fallen.
Berger, who was kidnapped from the Nahal Oz military outpost during the terror attack on October 7, 2023, and was released after a lengthy period of captivity as part of the recent hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, emphasized the importance of Shabbat.
"We must remember what Amalek did to us and what happened on October 7. I ask the entire people of Israel to observe Shabbat for the return of the hostages and in memory of all those who sacrificed their lives to protect us," she said.
Berger recently shared her story and recalled how she observed Shabbat and the Jewish holidays during her time in captivity.
Despite the harsh conditions of captivity, Berger said her faith was the central force that sustained her. "I don’t know how I would have gotten through it without my faith – it’s what gave me hope."