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Agam Berger, released two weeks ago as part of the third round of the current hostage deal, recently met with Rebbetzin Tzili Schneider, chair of Kesher Yehudi, and journalist Shneor Webber. During their conversation, she shared chilling details of her captivity in Gaza, the challenges of maintaining her faith, and the unwavering belief that sustained her through unimaginable hardship.
Berger revealed that, nearly a year ago, the hostages were surprised when Hamas terrorists provided them with various items, including a Jewish prayer book, or siddur.
"We have no idea how it happened, but they simply handed us prayer books," Berger recalled. "They showed them to us and said, ‘Take them.’ We used them constantly. It gave us strength."
The siddur was not the only item found. Berger said that the captors also discovered personal belongings of Israeli soldiers, such as military dog tags. However, she found the delivery of the prayer book particularly unusual.
"It wasn’t random," she said with certainty. "It arrived exactly when we needed it most."
Holding onto faith in the darkest times
Despite the dire conditions, the hostages made efforts to track the Hebrew calendar and observe Jewish holidays to the best of their ability.
"We roughly knew the dates from the radio and sometimes from segments shown on television," Berger said. "That helped us understand when the holidays were approaching."
However, not all holidays could be observed. "We missed Hanukkah, but during Passover, I managed to avoid eating leavened bread," she recalled. "I used corn flour because that’s what was available. The captors didn’t really care about it."
She noted that while the captors harbored deep hatred toward Jews, they showed a level of respect toward religious individuals.
"They hate Jews, but to them, it’s better to be religious than to have no faith at all."
One of the most significant moments of her captivity was Yom Kippur.
"We managed to fast, and I remember praying a lot that day," she said. "I also fasted on the Fast of Esther. It was something I felt I had to do, especially given our circumstances."
Uncertainty and separation
For most of her captivity, Berger was held alongside fellow hostage Liri Albag and, at times, with other women.
"There were moments when we were together, and it was easier. But then they separated us," she said.
The day before Albag was released was especially difficult.
"They told her on a Friday that she was going to record a video in the middle of the day, but they didn’t tell me she was being sent home," Berger said. "For two days, I had no idea."
When she was finally informed of her own impending release, Berger asked about the others.
"They told me, ‘Your friends are already home,’" she recalled. "It was an overwhelming moment. I knew I was going to be freed, but I wasn’t certain until the very last second."
In the final days of her captivity, Berger and another hostage, Arbel Yehoud, were among the last remaining women.
"By that point, we understood that Shiri Bibas was in a different situation. We didn’t know her exact condition, but we knew she had to be released first."
Looking back, Berger expressed deep gratitude for those who supported her throughout her ordeal.
"I don’t know how I would have survived without my faith," she said. "In the end, that’s what gave me hope."
Schneider, who accompanied Berger’s family throughout the ordeal, described meeting her as a profound and moving experience.
"It was an incredible honor to hear firsthand about Agam’s unwavering dedication to her faith under such impossible conditions," Schneider said. "She sanctified God’s name in public and inspired the entire Jewish people."
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