How Hostage Eliya Cohen's hidden tefillin inspired a nation

In a touching revelation before her son was released, Sigi Cohen shared how a pair of religious prayer items became a symbol of hope and connection during her son Eliya's captivity in Gaza.

When Eliya Cohen's partner Ziv, herself a survivor of the Nova music festival attack, searched desperately for his tefillin (phylacteries), she was certain they wouldn't have been left in a car driven on Shabbat. Eliya, known for his devotion to the daily prayer ritual, seemed unlikely to have made such a choice. The tefillin remained missing even after authorities returned his car keys.

But fate had other plans. The car keys held another secret: a key to Eliya's personal safe. When Ziv opened it hoping to find an engagement ring that Sigi had mentioned, she instead discovered the carefully stored tefillin. This discovery moved his mother to make a public appeal for others to embrace the ritual her son held so dear.

In a poignant twist, Ziv's brother, who had never before observed the practice, began using Eliya's tefillin during his captivity. The family has already arranged new tefillin for him, ensuring Eliya's pair were waiting for his return.

Sigi Cohen's video message now calls on people to consider wearing tefillin, if only for five minutes daily, as a merit for all hostages' safe return.