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Two years, 738 days, to be exact.
This is what eternity looks like when it passes through every breath, every second, forty meters underground.
Gali and Zivi Berman, the twin siblings from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, former combat soldiers who were kidnapped from their home on October 7th have finally returned to us after more than two years in Hamas captivity.
In darkness. In isolation. In the unbearable uncertainty of not knowing if they would ever see the light again.
Now, they are back on Israeli soil. They are here, but the path to true freedom is only just beginning.
Behind the radiant smiles that captured all of our hearts, behind the emotional images and videos you saw on the news, from the helicopter, from the meeting with the President, lies the beginning of a long road to recovery, both physical and emotional.
Now that they’ve returned, they need us. All of us.
If we’ve learned anything since that dark Saturday on October 7th, it’s that there is no such thing as "them", There is only us.
The people of Israel have already proven that when we come together, nothing is impossible, and there is no cause more sacred than this one.
We can help Gali and Zivi rebuild their lives, to restore body and spirit, to build a home, and to return to a life of dignity after the longest nightmare imaginable.
We invite you to open your hearts and give.
Because when we give, we also heal.
We bring back a small piece of our faith in goodness
and that faith, now more than ever, is what keeps us going.
On the morning of Saturday, October 7th, at 6:30 a.m., rocket fire and "Red Alert" sirens began.
Talia recalls that they calmly entered the safe room, "because we've been trained for over 20 years."
But this time, everything was different — the sirens didn’t stop for a moment, and sounds of gunfire and shouting could be heard outside.
Talia immediately contacted her sons. Gali and Ziv sounded frightened and told her they could hear Arabic and gunfire all around them. She urged them to lock themselves in their safe rooms.
At 10:00 a.m., they were still able to speak. Gali said he was going to be with Emily because she was afraid to be alone. Ziv described how his apartment was full of smoke and asked, “Why isn’t the army here in the kibbutz?”
Shortly after, the connection was lost.
What followed were 11 agonizing days of uncertainty, fear, sleepless nights, and no appetite — during which Gali and Ziv were considered missing.
On the 11th day, the family received the devastating news: Gali and Ziv are being held hostage in Gaza.
Gali and Ziv lived the Daily Hell in Gaza.
They were fighting to survive every single day — while their family was fighting the battle of their lives here: to bring them home.
Gali and Zivi are finally home, but now the really long journey begins, A journey of recovery, restoration and rebuilding a new life.
Brothers, Twins, Inseparable
Gali and Ziv are 27-year-old twins from Kibbutz Kfar Aza.
They are best friends who have been inseparable since birth. Their father Doron, a fully disabled man in need of constant care, longs for their return — as do their mother, Talia, their family, and the entire community.
Their big hearts and warm personalities have drawn many friends over the years. Anyone who knows them can tell you about their kindness, humility, joy for life, and generosity.
They’ve both been playing soccer since they were kids and are devoted fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool.
They love music and their work as sound technicians at a very popular sound company
