Gali and Ziv Berman, the twin brothers recently released after two grueling years in Hamas captivity, have marked a deeply personal milestone in their journey toward recovery: performing the Jewish ritual of laying tefillin. The act, a powerful symbol of spiritual reconnection, took place in Florida with Rabbi Moshe Scheiner, the Chabad-Lubavitch emissary in Palm Beach.
The moment was particularly poignant as it was revealed that for one of the twins, this marked the first time performing the ritual since his Bar Mitzvah.
Spiritual Re-Entry After Trauma
The laying of tefillin, the daily binding of leather boxes containing biblical verses onto the arm and head, is a central ritual for observant Jewish males. For the Berman brothers, 27, who were seized from Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7, 2023, and held separately in Gaza for over 700 days, this act symbolizes a profound reclamation of self and faith.
"Reconnecting with such a core practice is a critical step in the psychological and spiritual rehabilitation of survivors," noted one community leader familiar with the situation. The return to the ritual after a prolonged absence, particularly post-trauma, often signifies a move from the fear and isolation of captivity back into the stability and comfort of tradition.
