Avera Mengistu, the Israeli man freed earlier this year after more than a decade in Hamas captivity, celebrated the Sigd holiday on Thursday for the first time since his return to Israel in February.
Mengistu, a member of the Ethiopian Jewish community, spent five months at Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv after being brought back from Gaza. Upon his release to a specially adapted housing arrangement, he described feeling deeply moved. His return ended years of uncertainty over his fate after he crossed into Gaza in 2014 and was held without contact.
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Avera Mengistu bows his head as an Ethiopian Jewish religious leader blesses him during Sigd prayers in Jerusalem, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025
(Photo: Arnon Bosani/Ortal Productions)
Sigd is a traditional Ethiopian Jewish holiday marking a day of prayer and fasting for the peace of Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the ancient Temple. Historically observed in Ethiopia with Torah readings and sermons in Ge’ez, the holiday has taken on new life in Israel as a public celebration.
Held 50 days after Yom Kippur, Sigd — also known as “Mehelelle” — symbolizes the renewal of the covenant between the people of Israel and the Torah, a call for personal and communal reconciliation and a long-standing yearning for Zion and Jerusalem. In Israel, it has become a national occasion marked by mass gatherings and prayers in the capital.
President Isaac Herzog participated in the central prayer ceremony in Jerusalem and addressed the crowd from the Armon Hanatziv promenade. He highlighted Mengistu’s return as a shared national achievement rooted in communal prayer and solidarity.
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Avera Mengistu, second from left, stands with Ethiopian Jewish religious leaders during Sigd celebrations in Jerusalem, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025
(Photo: Arnon Bosani/Ortal Productions)
“My sisters and brothers, we witnessed the fruit of your prayers with Avera's return,” Herzog said. “It reminded us of Israel's deep commitment to all its sons and daughters. The journey to build this land is not over. Sigd calls us to renew our covenant — not only with Zion but with one another.”
Herzog also invoked the case of Haymanut Kasau, a young Ethiopian Jewish girl who has been missing since February 2024. “From this place, we do not forget her for a moment,” Herzog said. “I met her parents here. It is a national duty to find her and bring her home.”
The president concluded by urging unity: “Because of you, we love Jerusalem more. Because of you, we better understand the justice of our path. And because of you, we will continue to heal, to bring people closer, and to prevent division.”