‘Saying the Shema prayer gave me strength’: Freed hostage Eli Sharabi visits Lubavitcher Rebbe’s grave

Last year, Eli Sharabi’s brother Sharon went to the Ohel to pray for his release. 

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Freed hostage Eli Sharabi visited the gravesite of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, a year after his brother prayed for him at the site, and he recounted how saying the “Shema” prayer sustained him during his 491 days of captivity.

Sharabi traveled to New York to speak at the United Nations Security Council to advocate on behalf of the 59 hostages remaining in captivity.

The Rebbe’s gravesite, also known as the “Ohel” is a key Jewish pilgrimage site where Jews go to pray and place small notes with prayer requests.

While at the grave, Sharabi gave thanks for his survival, prayed for the release of the remaining captives and said Kaddish for his murdered family members.

Upon his release, Sharabi learned that his wife and two daughters were murdered during the Hamas massacre on October 7th and the bodies of his brother Yossi and nephew Noam are still being held in Gaza.

He lit a candle in the memory of loved ones, read the names of all of the remaining hostages and placed a note at the grave.

Sharabi also received a dollar, which the Rebbe had given as a symbol of protection.

He met Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion at the Ohel, and the two embraced and wished each other success.

Last year, Eli Sharabi’s brother Sharon went to the Ohel to pray for his release.

Sharabi described how prayer gave him strength during his extended captivity.

“I came from the darkest place in the world — 50 meters underground,” he recounted.

“What gave me strength was saying [the Jewish prayer] Shema Yisrael every morning. Every Friday night, we tried to make Kiddush. We didn’t have wine, so we used water.”

“It was the faith that kept us alive,” he added.

“With the strength of faith and unity, we can overcome everything,” Sharabi said.