WATCH: Former hostages recite ‘Shema’ with thousands of Jewish teens

Five thousand Jewish teens packed Times Square to close the CTeen Shabbaton, where former hostages Matan Zangauker, Ilana Gritzewsky, and Segev Kalfon led the crowd in a powerful recitation of the ‘Shema.’

He climbed out of the pits of hell in Gaza.

Survived Hamas.

Survived 738 days of torture.

And screamed “Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokainu Hashem Eched” to the world.

“I was dreaming of this moment”.

Segev Kalfon won.

He won. pic.twitter.com/z1WNUZMXNO

— Yaakov Langer (@jacklanger) February 22, 2026

Tears, joy, prayer, and resilience tonight in Times Square. A powerful moment as former Hamas hostages took the stage:
Matan Zangauker, Ilana Gritzewsky⁰Segev Kalfon.

Segev said he wanted to shout Shema on the biggest stage in the world.

5,000 teens declared after him:

Shema… pic.twitter.com/OrQhMtE9GU

— Yaacov Behrman (@ChabadLubavitch) February 22, 2026

hostageSegev KalfonShemaTimes Square