The Freed Captive: "Whoever Is Looking for Me – I Keep Shabbat"

Since returning from captivity in Gaza, Yagil Yaakov shares that he is on a spiritual strengthening journey. He has shared quite a bit about the difficulties he experienced in captivity but added that even before captivity he had started strengthening his faith. It now becomes clear that Yaakov has updated his followers not to try and write to him during the holy Shabbat. "Whoever is looking for me - I keep Shabbat," he explained and added, "When I returned, I told everyone I wanted to start wearing a kippah and tzitzit, and everyone laughed at me."

Yaakov, a 13-year-old from Kibbutz Nir Oz, was kidnapped from his home to the Gaza Strip on the day of the massacre, along with his brother Or, and was released about two months later as part of a deal to release the captives. Since returning from captivity, Yagil has shared a lot about his rapprochement with religion. Before Yom Kippur, he published a post in which he wrote: "The moment Yom Kippur arrived, I know it's the best time of my life. Creator of the World, how much you have strengthened me this year, how much you have made me believe and hope that in the end, it will be good, and in the end, it will be good. Thank you, Creator of the World, for the privilege of being here today."

In another post he wrote during the days of selichot, he said: "When they ask me about my connection to Hashem, I say that in captivity faith held me. The faith that I'm not alone, that there's this One with me, who indeed could not prevent the kidnapping but certainly watched over me every moment."

"And so it's called Divine Providence," he added. "I truly believe I always felt it, even before captivity. I always felt someone was watching over me. When I returned, I immediately told everyone I wanted to start wearing a kippah and tzitzit, and everyone laughed at me. They asked me, why suddenly kippah and tzitzit now?"

In conclusion, he wrote: "Throughout the captivity, this was the thing I thought about. Now, during the days of selichot, I feel that I must ask for forgiveness for many things, but also to give thanks. To thank for having been kept safe from my enemies, from our enemies."