Freed Hostages Lead “Shema Yisrael” in Times Square | Video

Former hostages Segev Kalfon, Matan Zangauker, and Ilana Gritzewsky stood on a stage in Times Square on Saturday night and declared “Shema Yisrael” before thousands of Jewish teenagers gathered in Manhattan. The crowd covered their eyes, repeated the verse in unison, and later sang “Shir LaMa’alot” together.

The moment marked the culmination of the CTeen International Shabbaton, a four-day summit that brought more than 4,500 Jewish teens from around 60 countries to New York. For Kalfon, it was the fulfillment of a dream he carried through 738 days in Hamas captivity.

In a Feb. 11 interview, Kalfon said, “They didn’t let me shout ‘Shema Yisrael’ in Gaza. I will shout ‘Shema Yisrael’ in New York.” He had planned, he explained, to declare the verse publicly on the stage Hamas prepared for hostage release ceremonies. Those ceremonies were halted before his release.

On Saturday night in Manhattan, he fulfilled that intention. Addressing the crowd, Kalfon said, “I had a dream in Gaza to say ‘Shema Yisrael’ on the stage during Hamas’s release show, but the show was canceled, so I am saying ‘Shema Yisrael’ here to the whole world. Thank you.”

Kalfon, 27, was kidnapped from the Nova music festival and released in October after more than two years in captivity. He has described being held underground, surviving on minimal food, and enduring physical abuse during his time in Gaza. Throughout his captivity, he said he recited “Shema Yisrael” daily and observed Yom Kippur as best he could under the circumstances.

Standing beside him in Times Square, Ilana Gritzewsky addressed the crowd with a message of unity. “No one will bring us down. The power and faith are greater. Together we are all stars. Thank you for your support. When we are united, no one can defeat us. Ever.”

Rabbi Menachem Kotlarsky, who helped lead the initiative, said the gathering carried special meaning after two years of global prayers for the captives. “For two years Jewish communities around the world prayed and acted on behalf of the hostages. Now they will meet face to face the miracle for which they fought.”

The Times Square event served as the public highlight of the annual CTeen summit, which ran from Feb. 19 to 22 and included programs, prayer services, and meetings for Jewish teens from across the globe. Earlier in the weekend, Kalfon participated in communal activities with participants and met delegations from Israel and other countries.

Since his release, Kalfon has begun visiting Jewish communities in the United States and elsewhere to share his story of survival. He has described the speaking tour as a personal mission. When asked how he sees this new chapter, he answered simply: “To sanctify God’s name.”