Since October 7, many hostages' families have only their loved ones' belongings left to give them a little hope until their return home. The family of Agam Berger, who was kidnapped in the Gaza Strip, turned to Agam's diary in an attempt to draw some encouragement from it.
Her family found a chilling passage in it, seemingly foreshadowing her fate. A few months before she enlisted in the IDF, Agam wrote in her diary, "Do not confine me in any cage, neither physical nor spiritual." Alongside her handwritten note, Agam added: "God will accompany me in every step." The sentence "Do not confine me in any cage, neither physical nor spiritual" was taken from Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook's letters.
Agam Berger, who served in the IDF as a reconnaissance soldier, was abducted from her base in Nahal Oz. A month ago, the video of her abduction was published by Hamas, showing the terrorists shouting at her and her friends. Agam is seen in the video with a bleeding face.
Hamas kidnaps reconnaissance soldiers from Nahal Oz base
On her 19th birthday, which came just before October 7, Agam wrote a blessing to herself in her diary: "In the last 10 minutes of my birthday, I will wish for myself and my loved ones happiness and good health until 120. May I continue on my path, succeed in everything I do, and be truly happy. Surely in God's care, He will accompany me in every step. Thank you for my family."
During the difficult months of war, which are laden with days of uncertainty, an unexpected and deep friendship was formed between Meirav Berger, Agam's mother, and Margalit Peretz, Knesset member Aryeh Deri's daughter. The two spent time together at an event organized by the "Jewish Connection" project, bringing together ultra-Orthodox and secular Jews, including families of captives and Holocaust survivors.
Meirav recounted that "the connection began at a prayer tent in Jerusalem. Margalit arrived that evening. It strengthened us to know that people who don't know the hostages come to identify in any possible way, even through prayer. We believe in God, we are traditional, but we do not observe Shabbat. The connection to religion took a significant turn after October 7 because there is depth in the knowledge that there is a God."
"I know from the story of one of the released hostages who said that Agam's most difficult moments were on Fridays, out of great pain. The whole family observes Shabbat from October 7. From that night when the connection was made, we keep in touch, and we started doing Shabbat together. It was a Shabbat that will be written down In the pages of history, she was so significant. Even in this chaos, there is still a God."
Regarding the Haredi draft bill controversy, Meirav said: "As far as I'm concerned, Agam joined the army as part of her commitment to the country, but the ultra-Orthodox have their commitment and they support us through prayers. I support this. There is an army and there is the army of God. I respect both and there is no connection between the two."
Margalit Peretz, Aryeh Deri's daughter, said there is much that the women share. "We have never had a conversation about the army. We see what connects us and what we share. The disagreement is among politicians. My little daughter had a birthday, and we celebrated with Meirav. Since then, every morning they ask me 'when Agam returns, will she be part of our family?' They talk about her endlessly as if she were their sister."
Meirav, what is the first thing you will do Agam returns?
"I will give her a big hug and not let go, shout 'Shema Israel' and drink coffee. I have not had coffee since October 7. During the first week, I stopped eating and drinking, and then I said that coffee was a moment of gratitude. I used to drink coffee every morning. Then I just couldn't. Nothing can make me feel better, so I stopped drinking coffee. I dream of the moment when we will sit by the sea drinking coffee. I do not intend to leave her for a moment."