Hen Mazzig
Hostages have continued practicing Judaism, despite their horrifying conditions. I can’t help but remember how Jews did the same during the Holocaust. Hostage Elkana Bohbot—who suffers from asthma—has been reciting Kiddush every Friday night in a moldy, cramped tunnel. Despite being starved by Hamas, he fasted on Yom Kippur. During the Holocaust, Jews fasted on Yom Kippur while being starved by the Nazis. Survivor Ruth Brand recalled how she continued to fast with her cousin in Auschwitz even as Nazis forced her to exercise in the heat. In the face of the cruelest torture, Jews continue to pray, continue to practice our ancient customs, and continue to preserve our humanity and dignity in the face of the evil trying to deprive us of it. Never Again is Every. Single. Day.
