Survivors of the October 7 Hamas Attacks Share Harrowing Story with Bay Area Jewish Community
The Bay Area Jewish community gathered at Congregation Chevra Thilim in San Francisco on Sunday night to hear from two survivors of the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. The event was organized by the Jewish Community Relations Council, and Rebecca Goodman, a local resident and employee, turned out to bear witness to their story.
The two survivors, Eliya and Ziv, who were both kidnapped and held captive for over half a year, shared their harrowing experience with the community. They described being thrown grenades into their bomb shelter, where they endured unimaginable horrors. Despite the traumatic ordeal, both survivors showed remarkable resilience and hope.
Eliya was held hostage for 505 days, with little to no contact with his girlfriend Ziv, who remained in the shelter. However, Ziv's bravery eventually led to her own rescue, after which she fought tirelessly to secure Eliya's release. Their reunion was a moment of pure joy, captured on video.
The event highlighted the importance of sharing their story with others, not just within the Jewish community but also with Americans who may not be Jewish. "Now, with all the antisemitism in the world, I think it's really important that even Americans stand alongside them to show support," said Greg Hutchinson, a San Anselmo resident.
The survivors' story serves as a reminder of the human cost of conflict and the importance of never forgetting such tragedies. As Siena Naaman Cohen, co-founder and CEO of The Chosen Foundation, aptly put it, "It's a miracle" that Eliya and Ziv survived against all odds.
The Bay Area Jewish community gathered at Congregation Chevra Thilim in San Francisco on Sunday night to hear from two survivors of the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. The event was organized by the Jewish Community Relations Council, and Rebecca Goodman, a local resident and employee, turned out to bear witness to their story.
The two survivors, Eliya and Ziv, who were both kidnapped and held captive for over half a year, shared their harrowing experience with the community. They described being thrown grenades into their bomb shelter, where they endured unimaginable horrors. Despite the traumatic ordeal, both survivors showed remarkable resilience and hope.
Eliya was held hostage for 505 days, with little to no contact with his girlfriend Ziv, who remained in the shelter. However, Ziv's bravery eventually led to her own rescue, after which she fought tirelessly to secure Eliya's release. Their reunion was a moment of pure joy, captured on video.
The event highlighted the importance of sharing their story with others, not just within the Jewish community but also with Americans who may not be Jewish. "Now, with all the antisemitism in the world, I think it's really important that even Americans stand alongside them to show support," said Greg Hutchinson, a San Anselmo resident.
The survivors' story serves as a reminder of the human cost of conflict and the importance of never forgetting such tragedies. As Siena Naaman Cohen, co-founder and CEO of The Chosen Foundation, aptly put it, "It's a miracle" that Eliya and Ziv survived against all odds.
I just can't even imagine being in those shoes... 505 days trapped in a bomb shelter, no contact with loved ones, and then the horrors of grenades being thrown into your home... it's like something out of a nightmare 
. But what really gets me is how Ziv kept going, not giving up hope, and eventually her bravery led to Eliya's rescue 
. It's so inspiring to see that love and resilience can overcome even the darkest situations 
. And you're right, Greg, it's super important for Americans to stand with the Jewish community and show support 
. We gotta keep the memories of these victims alive and never forget what happened on October 7th 
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but what's even more amazing is how ziv fought tirelessly 2 get eliya released their reunion video is giving me all the feels 
it shows us that hope can never be fully lost even in the darkest times i wish every1 could experience the power of love & resilience like they did 
. Like, I get why we need to support these guys, but can't we just focus on some more uplifting stuff for a change? 
The antisemitism thing is definitely super relevant, though - it's getting out of hand 
. Maybe this story will help bring people together instead of tearing them apart, that'd be something 
their story is so harrowing it's hard to believe they made it out alive 
being held captive for over 5 months, with no contact with each other? that's just not human 
it's so important we stand together with them and show our support 
I wish we could've met them in person, they must be total angels on earth 
anyway, can we please make a campaign to support these survivors and their loved ones? 
And what about the grenades? How did they not get blown to kingdom come? 
It's like they were meant to be rescued or something. And have you seen the video of their reunion? It looks so staged, if you ask me. 
I'm still trying to process the horror these two ppl endured 
Their story is such a powerful reminder of the human cost of conflict & how important it is to share these stories with others 
and I'm still thinking about how those trees can live for thousands of years while humans are always like "what's our purpose?" You know, it's like they're trying to outlast us or something 
️
they went through so much trauma and pain, still, their love for each other kept them going 
I feel like we need more stories like this shared with the world, especially with americans who might not even know what's happening in israel 
it's so important that we support these survivors and show them love and kindness 
thinkin' Hamas is just another country w/ issues 
But at the same time, I'm so grateful these two survivors made it out alive 
. We should def be supporting them more than just with a few claps 
'cause if not, people'll just keep ignorant 
.
According to the National Center for PTSD, up to 80% of hostages develop PTSD symptoms. These two are like superhumans 
As a data point, did you know that 71% of Americans trust news shared on Facebook more than other sources? 
It's all about amplifying their voices and promoting empathy! 
That's some serious community power in action! 
I don't care what the world thinks, I believe in standing up for Israel and its people 
, and now they're sharing their story so we can learn from it. I don't get why there's not more awareness about this stuff, we should be supporting them more