Former hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen and Israeli singer-songwriter Idan Raichel opened the 10th Israeli-American Council (IAC) National Summit on Thursday evening by singing together one of Raichel’s songs, “Me'cha'ke (Waiting)".
“This song is a song I sang to myself many times underground, just waiting on thin ice. Let's sing it for those days of endless waiting. Let's sing it for the return of Ran Gvili. Let's sing it for the people who are still waiting," Dekel-Chen told the audience.
He later said, “I remember when I came back home, I was truly moved to see how everyone, both in Israel and across the United States, worked non-stop to bring us back. That meant so much to me.Not only did your support become one of the main reasons why I and so many others got our lives back, but it went the world to Millie, my girls, my family, all of our families. Knowing that they're not alone in this struggle was their ray of light in the darkest time ever. On my behalf, on behalf of all of the hostages and their families, Todah, thank you."