With prayer, gratitude, and reflection, former Israeli hostage Segev Kalfon visited the Western Wall (Kotel) last week, his first time since being freed from Hamas captivity. The emotional afternoon embodied the courage and spiritual strength that helped Segev survive 738 days in the tunnels of Gaza.
Kalfon enjoyed a guided tour of the Western Wall Tunnels, reflecting the continuity of Jewish faith and endurance through the generations. His own journey - from the tunnels of Gaza to the underground chambers of ancient Jerusalem - stands as a living bridge between suffering and renewal, a testament to the enduring human spirit.
At the Western Wall, Kalfon met with Eric Gertler, Trustee of the Zuckerman Israel Institute and Zuckerman Family Foundation. The Foundation has served as the driving force and main supporter of the Western Wall Heritage Center, which opened in 2021, and the archaeological excavations beneath the Western Wall Plaza. The project and excavations are an outgrowth of the vision of the Foundation’s founder, Mortimer B. Zuckerman.
Gertler presented the former hostage with a rare artifact: a fragment of an ancient clay vessel discovered in the excavations beneath the Western Wall Plaza and which serves as a personal and symbolic gesture of resilience and faith. “Like this ancient relic that survived thousands of years beneath the surface of Jerusalem, Segev’s courage and faith endured unimaginable darkness before being returned to the light,” Gertler said. “We know that Segev’s courage and resilience are key ingredients that have preserved the Jewish people throughout history, and we need to continue to tell the story of the survival and resilience of the Jewish people to each successive generation.”
Since October 7th, the Western Wall has served as a focal point of prayer for the safe return of the hostages, and this week it became a place of gratitude, healing, and renewal.
In marking a profound moment of national and spiritual restoration, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, led Kalfon in a prayer of thanksgiving and of the HaGomel blessing, the blessing recited by those who have survived life-threatening situations.
“The Western Wall has been the beating heart of Jewish prayer and hope for centuries,” said Rabbi Rabinowitz. “For the last two years, millions prayed right here for the return of the hostages. Today, we thank God for the miracle of life and for Segev’s safe return to his family.”
In citing a moving passage from the book of Isaiah, Rabbi Rabinowitz added, “As the prophet wrote: 'And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with song and everlasting joy upon their heads.'”