Or Levy will never stand alone. The released hostage has a firm and loyal group of five friends who have vowed to be with him and support him and his young son as they rebuild their lives, destroyed in the massacre of October 7 when Or's wife Einav was murdered and he was abducted to Gaza.
The group came together when they all began working at the same company in 2017. They formed a commune of sorts, Omri, one of Or's close friends explains. He, Shahar and Daniel started there with Or, and Rachel, the fifth member of the group, was already there. "We worked in the same team and we all live in the same neighborhood, so we began doing things together, from Friday night meals to parties, to outings to the beach and to concerts."
Or and Einav's home became where they gathered together. "They had a roof terrace and their home was always open. They taught me the meaning of unconditional love," Daniel says. "We would be over there often five times a week. They would never say no. It was Or who made it happen."
Two days before the massacre, Or tried to convince the group to go with him and Einav to the Nova music festival. "I had exams and Daniel was working on his thesis, so we decided not to go," Omri recalls. "On Saturday, while we were in the shelter during the rocket strikes, we texted or because we knew they had tickets to the festival but were not sure if they were there. He wrote back that it was a mess and that they were under a rocket attack. Once we realized what had happened, we became a command center, joining our knowledge in technology and intelligence."
They began online searches. "We tried to speak to people who were with them in the shelter, survivors of the massacre, but no one remembered." Einav was buried on Thursday and since the couple was always together and were seen in a clip from the shelter, the friends thought they would soon hear about Or's body being found.
3 View gallery
Or Levy with a message to his son after his release from captivity: 'Daddy is on his way home'
(Photo: IDF)
"When we were in the week of mourning, we got news that Or had been taken hostage. Since then, we've been on a mission to support the family and Almog, their little son, to make sure they have everything they need.
"Or has a green thumb and cares for his potted plants with dedication," Daniel says. "We would come to the apartments two or three times a week to water the plants and basically keep an eye on the place. This was another mission for us."
"I refused to give up on the notion that he would soon be back," Rachel says. "I kept telling myself that as long as there is a chance, I will have faith and would not allow myself to think otherwise. When we got the call from Geula, Or's mother, we were elated. We watched his release together and went to the Sheba Medical Center to greet him when he arrived. We saw how he was in shock when he grabbed his face in his hands. Our Or was back," she says.
Or Levy reunites with family after his release from captivity
(Video: GPO)
"We saw him standing on his own feet. There is no greater excitement than when we saw him standing on his own feet, walking," Daniel says. "From the moment we met him, things were normal. He asked that we speak openly about everything."
The friends had discussed what they would tell Or when he returned after such a long time. Omri wanted to update him on what was important: that Luka Dončić had moved to the L.A. Lakers, but Daniel beat him to it. "I called Geula, who was on the border to meet him and she handed over the phone. I asked who this was and a familiar voice asked, 'Who do you think, you jerk?' I had to say something quickly, so I blurted out the news about Dončić."
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
Despite the joy and excitement when the friends reunited, they are aware that Or has a long road ahead. "On October 6, he was a married engineer with a son. A year later, he is a widower and a single parent. It is not just the time that was taken away from him, so much was. He tells us bits and pieces of stuff," Omri says.
"He tells us about Alon, Eliya and Eli who were with him in the tunnels, chained and hungry. They are part of him. He cannot be what he was. He has to begin a new chapter of physical and emotional recovery and raise a child, living with what had happened.
Now, the friends have a new mission. They launched a funding campaign to ensure a future for Or and Almog. "Or is an amazing father," Rachel says. "He reconnected with Almog immediately even though he missed nearly a third of the little boy's life. Or calls it a rebirth. He has to grieve for Einav and build a new life. We want them to be happy and lack nothing. He cannot do this alone and he certainly won't have to. He has us, his tribe."