Each week, until they are all returned home, Park Avenue Synagogue dedicates the mitzvah of hadlakat nerot Shabbat, lighting Shabbat candles, to an individual held in captivity in Gaza.
Bipin Joshi (24)
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Bipin Joshi, 24, a Nepali student who went to southern Israel for an apprenticeship of theoretical and practical agriculture, was abducted by Hamas terrorists from Kibbutz Alumim on October 7. He wanted to travel to an unfamiliar, far place, to see the world and learn about a new culture. Bipin arrived to the kibbutz with a student group three weeks before Simhat Torah. In the evenings, they used to join the Karaoke parties of the workers, where Bipin’s talent for rap music was discovered. He regularly shared his experiences with his family back home via video calls. "He showed us the lemon farm where he worked and shared his vision of opening a farm upon his return," his mother recalled.
Shlomo Mansour (86)
Shlomo Mansour, the oldest hostage in Hamas captivity at 86 years old, was kidnapped from his Kibbutz Kissufim home on October 7. He is always available to help those in need. He enjoys fixing old toys with his grandchildren and maintains a beautiful garden. On the kibbutz, Shlomo knows everyone, works in all areas of the farm, manages the chicken coop and carpentry shop, and teaches the children carpentry. Shlomo and his wife have been married for over 60 years and he has 15 grandchildren.
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Omri Miran (47)
Omri Miran, 47, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nahal Oz, driven in his own car to Gaza. He loves sports, especially playing soccer and volleyball. He tries to never miss Maccabi Tel Aviv games. Omri loves to dance with his daughters. He is a Shiatsu therapist, with a great sense of humor, and is known for having a kind soul. He’s an animal lover, an outdoorsman, and a Star Wars fan.
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Gadi Moshe Mozes (79)
Gadi Moshe Mozes, 79, was taken captive on October 7 from Kibbutz Nir Oz, as he tried to bargain with Hamas terrorists who attacked the community. He is a lifelong farmer and potato expert. He's lived on Kibbutz Nir Oz with his life partner Efrat and large extended family for many years.
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OMER WENKERT (22)
Omer Wenkert, 22, was taken captive by Hamas terrorists at the Nova Dance Festival on October 7. Omer has a brother, Ran, 18, and a sister, Maya, 13. He works as a restaurant manager and plans to become a restaurant critic. He loves his friends, soccer, and music, regularly attending and producing music festivals and raves. He is described as vibrant and social with a wide circle of friends.
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ohad yahalomi (49)
Ohad Yahalomi, 49, was taken captive by Hamas terrorists from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, after he engaged in a gun battle with gunmen in his house and was shot in the leg. Ohad loves the outdoors, swimming, travelling around the country, and going on a job every morning. He is a father to three and is adored by his friends and family.
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alon ohel (22)
Alon Ohel, 22, was taken in the early hours from the Nova music festival on October 7. Last fall, Alon was supposed to be starting at one of Israel's best music academies – the Rimon School of Music in Tel Aviv. His mother, Idit, says he's a great piano player. "Music is a big part of his life," she says. "He moves through music. He actually moves physically through music. You can see when he moves – it's like he's listening to music all the time."
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rom braslavski (20)
Rom Braslavski, 20, was working as a security guard at the Nova Music Festival on October 7. Rather than evacuate, he heroically worked to get others to safety and provide aid, despite being wounded in both hands. Rom loves to laugh, listen to music, and spend time with his friends. His favorite meal is his mother's schnitzel. Rom’s parents, Ofir and Tami, and brothers, Amit and Ziv, are very worried about him, and are doing everything in their power to bring Rom back home.
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Almog sarusi
Almog Sarusi, 26, was kidnapped from the Supernova Festival on October 7. He went to the festival with his girlfriend, Shachar, who was injured by gunfire and did not survive, despite Almog staying by her side in a desperate attempt to save her rather than flee. Almog loves nature and spending time with people. He frequently travels around Israel in his white Jeep with his guitar. Almog is known as an “intellectual person with sound reasoning and an extraordinary ability to captivate everyone he encounters.”
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Farhan Al Qadi (53) (Rescued)
Farhan Al Qadi, 53, was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7. Farhan, who lives in the Al Qasoum area near the predominantly Bedouin city of Rahat, was working as a guard at the Moshav Tzohar packing house the morning he was taken. He is an Israeli Bedouin man and beloved father of 11 children.
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Ori Danino (25)
Ori Danino, 25, was taken captive from the Supernova desert rave on October 7. He is a Beitar Jerusalem soccer club fan, enjoys partying, loves to cook and ride his motorcycle, and plans to travel the world. Ori is engaged to be married soon. He also has a younger sister.
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eitan mor (23)
Eitan Mor, 23, was a security guard at the Nova Music Festival on October 7. He loves sports and animals. He likes to work out and goes to the gym regularly. Eitan is in the food business and plans to open a restaurant. He has a dog, a girlfriend, and is the firstborn of eight siblings.
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tamir nimrodi (19)
Tamir Nimrodi, 19, a soldier serving in COGAT’s Coordination and Liaison Administration to the Gaza Strip, was taken hostage from his base near the Erez Crossing on October 7. He is an older brother to two sisters, and is described as a kind and sensitive person, always eager to help others.
In mid-July 2024, NextDor traveled to Israel and met with Tamir's mother, Herut, during which she shared his story. Herut told the group that it's been very difficult for his sisters to talk about him, and that one of his sisters has taken to riding Tamir's horse as a way to feel close to him in his absence.
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matan angrest (21)
Matan Angrest, 21, was on duty at the IDF’s Nahal Oz base on the morning of October 7. He loves fitness and is a fan of the soccer team Maccabi Haifa. After graduating high school and excelling in math, physics, and English, Matan enlisted in the IDF as a tank driver in the armored corps. Matan has three younger siblings.
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Sasha trufanov (30)
Sasha Trufanov, 30, was taken hostage along with three members of his family – his grandmother (released), mother (released), and girlfriend – from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Sasha was an engineer employed at Annapurna Labs, an Israeli microelectronics company purchased by Amazon. He was one of the electrical engineers that worked on the Gravitron4 chip, which was presented at Amazon's Re:Invent conference in November, 2023, almost two months after he was kidnapped.
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matan zangauker (24)
Matan Zangauker, 24, was kidnapped from his Kibbutz Nir Oz home on October 7. His life matured him and turned him into an independent, fatherly person, the one you turn to when you need support and understanding. Family has always been his top priority: He insists on speaking with his mother on the phone and travels with his girlfriend, Ilana Gritzewsky (30, who was also kidnapped) to his family in Ofakim every Friday evening.
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Abraham munder (78)
Abraham Munder, 78, was kidnapped from his home on Kibbutz Nir Oz. Abraham sang in a choir and loves playing with his grandchildren, especially doing puzzles with them. He and his wife lived on Nir Oz for 60 years, raising a family there.
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Elkana Bohbot (34)
Elkana Bohbot, 34, was kidnapped during the Nova Dance Festival. Elkana, the father of a three-year-old son, loves life, said his brother, along with dancing and friends, and was planning on opening a new ice cream store in Tel Aviv.
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omer neutra (22)
Omer Neutra, 22, grew up in Long Island, served as captain of his Jewish day school basketball team, and worked as a lifeguard. He joined the Israel Defense Forces four years ago and was serving as a tank commander when taken hostage by Hamas on October 7.
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ALEXANDER LOBANOV (32)
Alexander Lobanov, 32, was kidnapped from the Super Nova Music Festival. His wife gave birth while he is being held hostage to their second son.
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TSACHI IDAN (49)
Tsachi Idan, 49, was kidnapped from his home in Nahal Oz.
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Eliya cohen (27)
Eliya Cohen, 27, was at the Supernova Music Festival with his girlfriend, when they were taken hostage by Hamas.
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youssef hamis ziyadne (53)
Youssef Hamis Ziyadne, 53, was taken captive in Gaza, along with his three children, Hamza, 22, Bilal, 18, and Aisha, 17, while working in Kibbutz Holit. Bilal and Aisha were released while Hamza and Youssef are still being held captive.
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arbel yehud (28)
Arbel Yehud, 28, a third-generation resident of Kibbutz Nir Oz, is known as “the favorite aunt” and has a passion for space and astronomy.
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Carmel Gat (39)
Carmel Gat, 39, an occupational therapist, was abducted from her family home in Kibbutz Be’eri, along with her mother Kinneret, her brother Alon, her sister-in-law Yarden Roman, and Geffen, Alon and Yarden’s 3-year-old daughter.
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liri albag (18)
Liri Albag, 18, was kidnapped from the Nahal Oz IDF base on the Gaza border, where she served as a surveillance soldier.
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ziv and gali berman (26)
Twins Ziv and Gali Berman, 26 were abducted from Kfar Aza. They have been inseparable most their lives, working together & traveling the world together.
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romi gonen (23)
Romi Gonen, 23, was taken from the Supernova music festival in Re’im. She is described as a strong, happy type who knows how to take care of herself. She was a former Scouts counselor who often went to raves.
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Daniella Gilboa (19)
Daniella Gilboa, 19, was kidnapped from the Nahal Oz Base while serving as an observation soldier at the IDF 414th Combat Intelligence Collection Unit.
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agam berger (19)
Agam Berger, 19, also known as “Gagi,” was kidnapped from the Nahal Oz IDF Base, where she served as a communications lookout. It was her first weekend on the base. Berger’s family describes her as a talented violinist who volunteered to support special populations, assisting children with learning difficulties or challenges at home.
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karina ariev (19)
Karina Ariev, a 19-year-old surveillance soldier, was abducted from the Nahal Oz IDF Base. Ariev’s family describes her as a gentle girl with a big heart who takes care of everything.
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Eden yerushalmo (24)
Eden Yerushalmi, 24, was taken from the Supernova music festival and has since celebrated her birthday in captivity. She is a bartender from Tel Aviv, described by her sisters as the girl everyone loves, “always happy, always laughing.”
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guy gilboa-dalal (22)
Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 22, was taken hostage from the Supernova music festival. He loves Japan; he taught himself to speak Japanese and plans to travel there one day.
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itzik elgarat (69)
Itzik Elgarat, 69, was in his Kibbutz Nir Oz home on the morning of October 7 when Hamas terrorists attacked his home, shooting him through his safe room door, injuring him, and taking him captive. He has citizenship from Denmark and two children who live there.
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Amit buskila (28)
Amit Buskila, 28 was taken hostage from the Supernova music festival and was heard begging terrorists not to take her. She is a fashion stylists with thousands of social media followers and a great cook.
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hersh goldberg-polin (23)
Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old Israeli-American, was kidnapped from the Supernova music festival. His mother, Rachel, describes him as gentle and kind and always finding creative ways to improve things and connect with other human beings.
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Naama levy (19)
Naama Levy, 19, was seen in a video being dragged by her long hair at gunpoint into Gaza. She is a soldier at Nahal Oz. Described by her mother, she embodies all that is good in the world and everything that those evil enough to hold her hostage do not.
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Noa Argamani (26)
Noa Argamani, 26, was kidnapped at the Supernova music festival; her terminally-ill mother has pleaded for her release on news stations around the world.
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OhaD Ben Ami (55)
Ohad Ben Ami, 55 is level-headed and serious, but still has great sense of humor; he is talented at solving problems.
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Avanitan Or (30)
Avinatan Or, 30 an electrical engineer and a fantastic cook, was taken from the Super Nova festival.
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Doron SteiNbrecher (30)
Doron Steinbrecher, 30, is a veterinarian nurse with true passion for animals. She was taken from her apartment at Kibbutz Kfar Aza.
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Chaim peri (79), yoram metzger (80), Amiram Cooper (84)
We are highlighting three of the older hostages, that many of you may have seen the video that Hamas recently released. Together we can keep, Chaim Peri, 79, a film lecturer; Yoram Metzger, 80, who, worked in the Nirlat factory and Amiram Cooper, 84, one of the founders of Kibbutz Nir Oz in our hearts.
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Eitan (37) and yair horn (45)
Brothers Eitan (37) and Yair Horn (45) were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Eitan had come from his home in Kfar Saba to visit his older brother, Yair, for the holiday weekend. The family immigrated from Argentina years ago. Eitan is an educator and Yair works in construction and organizes parties and holiday activities with the Kibbutz. They’re also very involved uncles.
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Judith Weinstein (70) and Gad Haggai (72)
Judith Weinstein (70) and Gad Haggai (72) were on their morning walk when gunfire erupted. Haggai is a retired chef and jazz musician and Weinstein is a retired teacher. They raised their children at the Kibbutz Nir Oz.
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THE BIBAS FAMILY – KFIR (10 MONTHS), ARIEL (4), SHIRI (32), AND YARDEN (34)
In a video seen around the world, the Bibas family was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz. The video shows images of Shiri, distressed, holding her two young sons, Kfir and Ariel, while being taken by Hamas, while Yarden was shot and injured. The two boys are the last and youngest children to be held hostage.
Image © 2023 Maurice Shnaider via ABC 7 Chicago | Full article
TAMIR ADAR
Tamir Adar, 38, is a loving husband and father. He was part of the Kibbutz Nir Oz emergency squad, and after sealing his family into their safe room, he ran out to fight Hamas terrorists. His 85-year-old grandmother Yaffa, a holocaust survivor, who was also kidnapped on October 7, was released over the past week.
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Ditza HEiman (RELEASED)
Ditza Heiman, 84, who worked a a social worker until she was 80, was taken from the Nir Oz kibbutz, where she has lived for decades and played an important part in community life. Her family describes her as a beloved great-grandmother and, “A woman of peace who is full of compassion and wisdom.”
All images © 2023 Elisa Bray Writer The JC | Full article
Alex Dancyg
Alex Dancyg, 75, a Holocaust historian who has written books on Poland’s Jewish community and the systematic murder of Jews during the Second World War, was taken from the Nir Oz kibbutz.
All images © 2023 Toi Staff Opinion contributor The Times of Israel | Full article
YAIR YAAKOV, MEIRAV TAL (RELEASED) AND FAMILY
Yair Yaakov and his girlfriend, Meirav Tal (who has since been released), were kidnapped from Nir Oz. They were in a bomb shelter, which was infiltrated by terrorists, from where they were taken to Gaza. Yair's two sons, Or and Yagil, had been with their mother nearby in another bomb shelter on the kibbutz and were also taken by Hamas.
All images © 2023 Yaniv Yaakov Opinion contributor USA TODAY | Full article