Yesterday, President Yitzhak Herzog held an exciting meeting with the 'Tefillin for Every Kidnapper' project, which was initiated by Ricky Seton and Julie Kuperstein, the mother of the kidnapper Bar Kuperstein, who has been in Hamas captivity for over 600 days.
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Bar was kidnapped on October 7 by Hamas terrorists while working as a security guard at the Nuba Festival near Kibbutz Re'im. On the morning of the attack, he stayed to help and provide first aid to partygoers who were injured by the terrorists - until he was kidnapped.
The project connects people who do not give up and have volunteered to put on tefillin for the benefit and return of the kidnapped - with tefillin donors. Each volunteer puts on tefillin every day for the benefit of "their kidnapped" who is in Hamas captivity, out of a desire to strengthen the families of the kidnapped and give them hope.
"Bar Tefillin" stations dedicated to various abductees have been set up in various locations across the country. This project is part of a variety of family welfare projects that Julie and Ricky have been leading for the past year and eight months for the abductees and their families.
The moving meeting was attended by Bar Kuperstein's family, Orit, the mother of Almog Meir Jan, who was rescued from Hamas captivity in Operation Arnon, Ricky Seton, director of the Ayelet Hashachar 'Chevruta' project and Julie Kuperstein's journey partner, Ayelet Hashachar CEO Rabbi Shlomo Raanan, project volunteers, tefillin donors - including two young students from Racheim who raised 6 pairs of tefillin, and students from the Haredi branch of Bezalel who presented works inspired by the project.
Ayelet Hashachar works to strengthen connections in Israeli society. Establishing synagogues on kibbutzim, the joint study project "Hevruta" in which thousands of Jews participate and study every week. Since the beginning of the fighting, the organization has operated a prayer and study tent in Kidnapped Square - where families of the kidnapped and the general public come to pray and connect.
The President of the State thanked the participants for strengthening the spirit of the people and emphasized the supreme commitment to the return of all the abductees: "This is a very moving and very special event. I wish all of us that we will continue to do everything to bring everyone home, everyone, down to the last one. That we will cry out, that we will demand, that we will sue, that we will tear down the gates of heaven and bring them home. That we will see Bar at home and all the friends and comrades, of course, some for rehabilitation and some for the grave of Israel.
"These are very difficult moments, very delicate and complex. There are extremely difficult negotiations, Israel has accepted Witkoff's offer. Israel is ready to go along with Witkoff's offer. I say to all the nations of the world - just tell Hamas enough, they are not listening to you, until you release everyone. And we will see everyone at home on the Day of Judgment. Thank you very much for the tefillin, it is a wonderful idea, I put on tefillin every day. Everyone is praying for their return and I am sure that the prayers will be answered."
The volunteers shared their feelings of mission and the deep connection created with the abductees and their families as a result of their participation in the project.
Bar's mother, Julie, said: "We were privileged to see such connections in the people of Israel. This sweet people who simply came together in an exciting way following the October Shabbat, which unfortunately happened, but out of the darkness we simply grow. This event is actually the event of Bar and his new brothers who are currently deep in the darkness and from there really light up the world. When the terrorist called to threaten, I told him that my fate is not in his hands, only in the hands of the Creator of the world, even when he is in Gaza. This is my feeling all the time."
Tal, Bar's father, who was injured in a car accident and has since become a caregiver, has been practicing speech rehabilitation for a year since Bar's kidnapping. Tal told his personal story and Bar's - and added: "We found out about Bar's kidnapping at 11 am, when the horrific video was released in which he is handcuffed and with a rope tied around his throat. Even at this moment, Bar is shouting his name to the terrorists and asking them to take care of the injured Elkanah Buhbot. This is Bar, always taking care of others before taking care of himself."
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