This week, freed twin hostages Gali and Ziv Berman put on tefillin with Rabbi Moshe Scheiner, rabbi of the Palm Beach Synagogue, with celebration and dancing.

Gali and Ziv are twin brothers from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, near the Gaza border. They were abducted along with 19 other residents during the October 7, 2023, attack on their community. During their 738-day captivity, the brothers were held in separate locations within Gaza, and no photos or videos of them were released by Hamas.

The twins were released during Chol Hamoed Sukkos as part of the first group of seven Israeli hostages returned by Hamas to the Red Cross and transferred to Israel. Following their release, they were reunited outside Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, marking an emotional homecoming for the brothers and their family.

A few days later, they were visited by activist Shai Graucher, a group of U.S. donors, and Rabbi Scheiner, who used the opportunity to put on tefillin with the brothers. For Ziv, it was the first time he had worn tefillin since his bar mitzvah, while Gali shared that he had previously put on tefillin at Chabad houses while traveling abroad. Those present celebrated joyfully, dancing together to the tune of Am Yisrael Chai.

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