Bar Kupershtein, a former hostage held by Hamas in Gaza for 738 days, took part Friday in an emotional mass tefillin-laying event at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, calling for the return of the 11 hostages whose remains have yet to be brought back to Israel.
“This feels like a dream come true. I prayed for two years to do this,” Kupershtein said as he arrived at the square, where a large crowd gathered for the communal prayer.
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Former hostage Bar Kupershtein lays tefillin-laying at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square
(Photo: Moti Kimchi)
In a speech to the attendees, Kupershtein shared his harrowing experiences in captivity and the faith that sustained him throughout his time in Hamas hands. “There were some very hard moments over the past two years,” he said. “Moments when I had questions, when I lost strength. But every time that happened, I reminded myself—I must not lose who I am.”
He described how hearing his captors pray in Arabic over what he called “the murders they believed in” pushed him to strengthen his own faith. “If they pray, I must pray even more,” he said. “If they pray for death, I’ll pray for life.”
“At first, I wasn’t even allowed to make a sound,” he continued. “So I prayed silently, in my heart, in my gut, from the deepest place inside—the soul. Later, we began praying aloud, shaking the Metro,” he added, referencing Hamas' underground tunnel network. “I’m certain it was faith that got me out. And it’s our shared faith that will bring back those who haven’t returned and help us rebuild a society based on hope, healing and trust.”
The event was held in the presence of former chief rabbi of Israel David Lau and Rabbi Shlomo Raanan, founder of the Ayelet HaShachar organization, which promotes dialogue between secular and religious Israelis and helped organize the event.
As the crowd sang the traditional prayer Ana B’Koach, Kupershtein wrapped himself in a tallit gifted by Rabbi Lau, inscribed with the words “Always in the hands of the Creator.” He recited the Shehecheyanu blessing, thanking God for reaching this moment, as the crowd erupted in applause.
A particularly moving moment came when his father, Tal, who uses a wheelchair and had learned to stand again to embrace his son upon his return, rose to his feet, placed tefillin with Bar and blessed the tallit.
Bar’s mother, Julie, shared that the idea for the mass tefillin event had been her son’s. “It’s incredibly moving that Bar is with us—and with this crazy idea,” she said. “Before he was kidnapped, he didn’t really lay tefillin. I pestered him about it, but it didn’t work. After two years in captivity and serious soul-searching, it became his dream—to merit laying tefillin. That moved me deeply.”
Also attending was Shai, uncle of the late Capt. Omer Neutra, who read aloud the names of the 11 hostages whose remains have not been returned. The ceremony closed with renditions of Oseh Shalom Bimromav and Shalom Aleichem, joined by Kupershtein's father.