(Left to right): Gali Berman, Jess Levitt, Ziv Berman and Emily Damari at Operation Embrace event, Jan. 2026. Photo courtesy of author.
Last year, when I signed up for the Birthright Israel Onward internship program, I wasn’t sure what would come of it. I didn’t know who I would meet, what relationships I would form, or how memorable the experience would be.
Now, only three weeks into my time in Israel, I’m already amazed by how much my internship and living in Tel Aviv mean to me. Not long after arriving, I had the good fortune to meet Aviva Tessler, Executive Director of Operation Embrace, a non-profit she founded in 2001 to support survivors of terrorist attacks in Israel.
Hearing about the care and emotional support the organization offers Jewish and non-Jewish victims of horrific violence was incredibly moving. I felt great respect and appreciation not only for Operation Embrace, but also for the quiet, modest way Aviva does this important work.
When Aviva told me about an upcoming gathering planned by Operation Embrace for victims and families of those kidnapped, murdered or wounded on October 7, and asked me if I wanted to attend and help document it, I felt deeply honored. Being invited into such a space devoted to healing, dignity, compassion and connection is not something I take lightly.
As the event approached, my mind raced. Who would I meet there? How would it feel to be in the same room as survivors of such traumatic, tragic events and their families? Do I ask questions, or is it better to simply listen?
While taking the train to the event in Caesarea, I thought to myself how lucky I was to have this experience. For two years, since the horrors of October 7, 2023, like many Jews around the world, I had taken part in rallies calling for the freedom of all hostages taken by Hamas. In my hometown of Toronto, I had often walked past agonizing posters showing their faces, anxiously followed news of their plight, watched with emotion on my phone whenever hostages were released, all the while fervently hoping for the safe return of all the remaining captives. After all that, now being in this position felt almost surreal.
At the event, Emily Damari was the first former hostage to arrive, accompanied by her mother. Their poignant reunion last January, following Emily’s long-awaited release from more than 15 months of captivity, was one I had watched more times than I can count. In person, Emily’s presence radiated light and dignity. The love between her and her mother was palpable and touching. She moved through the room smiling, filming small moments, fully present. I couldn’t help but smile along with her.
Soon after, twin brothers and former hostages Gali and Ziv Berman arrived, both gravitating naturally toward Emily. They embraced with the warmest hugs, the kind that say everything without words. More families followed, some with young children, and as the room filled, the energy became more kinetic. Kids played together, volunteers handed out gifts, and laughter echoed throughout the space.
You could feel how meaningful it was for everyone to be there, together again, reconnecting after so much heart-wrenching adversity. My role that day was to capture the moments, the hugs, the growing smiles, the laughter shared between friends and families. But beyond the camera, something struck a chord inside me.
The strength, resilience and appreciation for life I witnessed and felt in that room was unlike anything I had ever experienced. It will stay with me forever. To have the chance to connect personally in such a positive setting with people whose faces I once knew only from agonizing posters and news headlines is a memory I will always cherish.
I knew how profoundly I – like so many others – had been affected since Oct. 7 by reports of what the hostages had endured in captivity, but nothing compared to seeing Emily, Gali and Ziv so alive, smiling and surrounded by tremendous love at the Operation Embrace event. In that moment, everything felt peaceful and wondrous.
I now better understand and stand in awe when Israelis, especially Oct. 7 survivors, say, “We are dancing again.”
Born in Toronto, Canada, I’m a 24-year-old social media content creator, with a strong Jewish identity and a passion for Israel. I’m currently living in Tel Aviv on a Birthright Israel Onward program, serving as a content creator intern for a leading international beauty brand.