About two months ago, Eitan, former hostage Romi Gonen's father, and her brother, Sachaf, took it upon themselves to start putting on tefillin every day in prayer for her speedy release. Last night (Sunday), the Gonen family home was filled with immense joy upon Romi's return from Hamas captivity.
Along with Romi, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari were also released after 471 days in captivity.
The father and brother had never worn tefillin before and did not even possess tefillin. They were assisted by the Shas faction of Ma'alot and the donation of Rabbi Ilan Abergel and Mr. Assaf Dimanet, who donated them an elegant set of tallit and tefillin and helped them put on tefillin for the first time.
In a particularly moving moment, during the first putting on tefillin, when the father Eitan wrapped himself in a tallit, he said excitedly after the Shehechiyanu blessing: "What a crazy feeling... It's exciting." He added, full of hope: "Romi will see everything when she returns, with God's help."
Romi, 24, was kidnapped from the Nova party on October 7, 2023. A month and a half after the kidnapping, her mother, Merav Leshem Gonen, shared in an interview with Channel 12 News that Romi was kidnapped while wounded: "Romi is the last one left alive in the car. One of the families who returned in the first deal said they saw Romi. She was seriously injured... It's sadness mixed with joy, and it emphasizes the need to bring everyone back."
Since that day, the father and son have persisted in observing the mitzvah of putting on tefillin, while calling on the general public to join in the prayers for Rumi's well-being and release.
* Bihadrei Haredim contributed to this story.
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