By Ozzie Hollander ’27
“The first time I saw myself in a mirror after being released,” Aviva Siegel told the students, “I saw color again.” After seven weeks and two days in captivity, moving through apartments, tunnels, and rooms, she described that moment as her first real sense of clarity after weeks of darkness.
On Tuesday, November 25, Aviva and Keith Siegel visited Berman to share their harrowing experiences as former hostages in Gaza. Their visit was organized in partnership with Operation Embrace, which supports victims of terror and their families.
Aviva expressed immense gratitude for the community’s prayers and support during their captivity. She encouraged students to sit and process their feelings about her story, reminding them of the strength they collectively share.
Photo Credit: Berman Hebrew Academy
Aviva described waking up on October 7th, 2023 to the sound of rockets and the shaking of their home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza, one of the hardest-hit kibbutzim that day. The moment armed terrorists entered their safe room, Aviva said, “I was shaking. I held Keith’s hand and told him I was very scared.” Within minutes, the two were kidnapped and taken into Gaza. Whenever the terrorists moved them, she and other hostages were forced into disguises. “They dressed us in long black robes with hoods,” she said. “We walked through the streets that way. Everything was broken. Trash was everywhere. It didn’t look like life, it looked like the aftermath of life. There was exhaustion everywhere.”
Aviva spent 51 days in captivity. Keith endured 484 days, six months of which he spent entirely alone.
“In total I spent 484 days in Gaza,” he told the students. “Sometimes alone in a room, sometimes guarded by terrorists, sometimes in abandoned schools or tunnels.”
What sustained him, he said, was the surprising return of faith at the moment he needed it most.
“Prayer kept me alive,” Keith said. “I hadn’t prayed in years, but suddenly prayer returned to me. I said blessings I thought I had forgotten. I thought about the Jewish people and what we’ve survived. Our people endure.”
Aviva recounted how she managed to get through each day in captivity, even when it felt impossible. She shared how Keith would ask her every morning, “Tell me one good thing about today.” At first, she could only answer, “There is nothing good.” But over time, she realized that simply being together was enough: “You’re with me. That is the good thing.” Holding onto that small sense of hope and connection carried them through each hour.
After their release, their voices remain united as they continue to advocate for those still held in Gaza, sharing their story to inspire hope and call others to action.
The decision to bring the Siegels to Berman was driven by a desire to connect students directly with history in the making. Middle School teacher Mrs. Naomi Chinn, who helped organize the assembly, emphasized the necessity of firsthand accounts. “Hearing something firsthand provides a tangibleness and realness to the experience,” Mrs. Chinn explained. “It allows students to connect more deeply, emotionally, and personally in a way that simply isn’t possible through secondhand accounts.”
The opportunity to host the Siegels came up quickly, and Mrs. Chinn felt the timing was crucial given the state of the conflict. When the window opened, she “immediately jumped at the opportunity to bring them to Berman.” “I felt it was especially important now because the remaining live hostages had just been released, and we are still waiting on the return of two more deceased hostages,” she noted. “Our students have been davening for all of the hostages for two years, and hearing Keith and Aviva’s story helps them see the power of our tefillot.
