A Living Miracle in Gaza
'My Emunah Never Broke': Matan Angrest Shares Miracle Which Kept Him Alive in Gaza
Matan Angrest, a 22-year-old IDF soldier, reveals how his religious faith helped him survive two years of captivity in Gaza tunnels, maintaining daily prayers despite harsh conditions.
After a harrowing two-year ordeal in the tunnels of Gaza, 22-year-old IDF soldier Matan Angrest is beginning to reveal the deeply personal wellspring that sustained him through pain, fear, and profound isolation: his unwavering Jewish faith.
Angrest, who was captured on October 7, 2023, during fierce clashes at Nahal Oz, was the sole survivor of his tank crew and was taken into Gaza severely wounded. For months, he endured a punishing regime that included starvation, torture, and prolonged stretches of solitary confinement.
A Request Granted by Captors
Speaking from Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv, Matan recounted that his core strength derived from daily prayer.
“From the very beginning, I asked for tefillin, a siddur, and a Chumash,” he shared. “I prayed three times every day. It gave me strength and kept me alive.”
In one of the most remarkable and unexpected details of his captivity, his Hamas captors actually complied with his request, providing him with the items.
“They brought them to me,” he stated. “It was something I could hold on to when everything else was gone.”
'Emunah Never Broke'
Angrest’s parents provided a stark picture of the brutal conditions he faced. His mother detailed the severe injuries, including burns and damage to his arms and eyes, while his father added that Matan was frequently moved and kept underground for months on end.
“He went through things no person should ever experience,” they said, reflecting on their son’s endurance. “But his emunah [faith] never broke.”
The enduring power of his devotion was recognized this week when Tzili Schneider, founder of the organization Kesher Yehudi, visited Matan and presented him with a new pair of tefillin to replace the set he lost during his captivity.
“He is a living miracle,” Schneider remarked. “He held onto his faith in a place where most would lose hope.”
While doctors at Ichilov stress that Matan’s physical recovery will be a long process, they note his spirit remains remarkably robust. A family member confirmed the resilient nature of the young man:
“He’s still the same Matan. The same humor, the same strength, maybe even more.”