Freed Hostage Noa Argamani Prays at the Rebbe’s Ohel

Noa Argamani, the hostage who was heroically rescued from Gaza last month by the IDF, visited the Ohel of the Rebbe in New York, where she offered a prayer of thanks for her release. Argamani arrived with the delegation of the kidnapped families accompanying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his trip to Washington, and was welcomed by representatives of Tzach in Israel, led by Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Aharonov, Chairman of Tzach, who have been supporting the families of the kidnapped since Simchat Torah.

Noa’s visit, whose abduction to the Gaza Strip became one of the most identified images of the terrible massacre on Simchat Torah, took place nine months after her father, Yaakov, prayed at the holy Ohel of the Rebbe during the major and historic journey of Tzach with hundreds of kidnapped hostages’ families. During that visit, Yaakov was seen holding a picture of his daughter while praying for her rescue. Now, Yaakov joined his daughter in prayer at the site.

Alongside Noa Argamani and her father, others came to offer prayers: Attorney Talik Goili – the mother of the police officer Raan Goili, may his memory be a blessing, whose body is held by Hamas; Eli Bibas – the father of the kidnapped Yarden Bibas and grandfather of the children Kfir and Ariel, who were also kidnapped and whose fate remains unknown; Ayelet Samrano – the mother of Yonatan Samrano, who was abducted from Nova and declared dead after 59 days; Ofir Shaul – the brother of Oron Shaul, who was kidnapped during Operation Protective Edge; Shelly Shem Tov – the mother of Omar Shem Tov, 21, who was abducted to Gaza from Nova; Esther Yahli – the mother of the kidnapped Ohad Yahalomi, who is still being held in Gaza; and the grandmother of Eitan, 12, who was released after 52 days.

Nine months ago, nearly two hundred family members embarked on a special journey with Tzach to the holy resting place of the Rebbe, where they also held meetings with senior American government officials. “Alongside the prayer of thanksgiving for Noa Argamani’s release, we all continue to pray for the return of all the hostages,” said Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Aharonov, Chairman of Tzach. The journey was organized by Rabbi Shimi Segal, who manages the hostage families’ trips on behalf of Tzach. Worcester Shliach Rabbi Mendel Fogelman and his son Rabbi Levi accompanied the delegation at that time and again welcomed them at the holy site.

Noa Argamani accompanied Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his trip to Washington and even attended his speech in Congress. When the Prime Minister mentioned her, members of Congress cheered for her extensively. A few weeks ago, Argamani dealt with the passing of her mother, who had been battling a terminal illness and never ceased hoping and praying to see her daughter again.

During a meeting between Argamani and Netanyahu, she spoke to him about the immense pain and suffering of the hostages and asked him to do everything in his power to ensure their swift release.

The group also visited 770 and the Rebbe’s room in Crown Heights during their visit to New York.