IDF Hostage Survivors Eli-H Cohen and Wife Attend Selichot Prayers at Western Wall

On the night of Saturday, thousands gathered at the Western Wall in Jerusalem for the central Selichot prayers, including Israeli hostage survivors Eli-H Cohen and his newlywed wife Ziv, along with fellow survivors Noa Argamani, Itay Regev, Omer Shem Tov, and Bar Kuperstein. The event featured a special thanksgiving prayer led by the Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, expressing gratitude for the survivors' return and prayers for the safety of IDF soldiers, security forces, national unity, and peace in Israel.

Media personality Sivan Rahav Meir, present at the event, encountered Cohen and Argamani in the women's section and described the emotional atmosphere, noting the survivors' deep focus on the prayers. She highlighted a poignant moment when the cantor called for divine protection against enemies, reflecting the collective hope and fulfillment of prayers for the survivors' safe return.

Eli-H Cohen and Ziv were married just last week in a ceremony attended by over a thousand guests, officiated by Israel's Chief Rabbi David Lau. The wedding was especially moving as Cohen fulfilled a vow made during his captivity to publicly thank God and recite the Shema prayer at his wedding. Cohen also paid tribute to his late friend and fellow soldier Moshe Shapira, whose father wrote the wedding contract (ketubah). Cohen and Ziv had survived a Hamas attack in the town of Re'im on October 7, where Shapira heroically defended them and others from grenades.

The Selichot gathering underscored the resilience and faith of the survivors and the Israeli public, with prayers emphasizing gratitude, protection, and hope for continued peace and security.