Chabad of the Valley Celebrates Former Hostage’s New Beginning
More than 500 people gathered at Chabad of the Valley headquarters on Sunday evening, October 18, to welcome former Hamas hostage Eliya Cohen and his newlywed wife, Ziv Abud, for a remarkable evening of survival, faith, and love.
by COLlive Editor · COLliveMore than 500 people gathered at Chabad of the Valley headquarters on Sunday evening, October 18, to welcome former Hamas hostage Eliya Cohen and his newlywed wife, Ziv Abud, for a remarkable evening of survival, faith, and love.
The origins of this special gathering trace back to Jerusalem, just weeks after Eliya’s release following 505 days in Hamas captivity.
At that time, a Chabad of the Valley delegation of 25 communal leaders from Encino, led by Rabbi Ari Herzog and Jonathan Herzog, met with Eliya and Ziv just three weeks after his release. The meeting, held at Jerusalem’s King David Hotel, was arranged through the efforts of Jonathan Herzog and Shai Graucher, a tireless advocate on behalf of widows, orphans, former hostages, and their families.
Deeply moved by the young couple’s ordeal, the delegation rallied to raise critical financial support to help them rebuild their lives, with the hope that they would soon marry and begin a new chapter together.
On October 7, 2023, Eliya and Ziv fled the Nova Music Festival and sought refuge in a roadside bomb shelter. Ziv survived the horrific attack by hiding beneath the bodies of other victims, while Eliya was abducted into Gaza, unaware throughout his 505 days in captivity that she was still alive. During that time, Ziv campaigned relentlessly for his release.
Their long-awaited reunion ultimately led to their marriage in Israel earlier this year.
The event, entitled “505 Days Apart: One Extraordinary Story of Survival, Faith & Love,” was held under heightened security coordinated by Magen Am.
The program opened with Rabbi Mordechai Einbinder, Associate Director of Chabad of the Valley, who reflected on the profound bond between the Jewish people. He emphasized that Eliya and Ziv’s suffering had been felt throughout the community—their pain was our pain, and their joy is now our joy.
The conversation was gracefully moderated by Marissa Streit, CEO of PragerU, who guided the couple through a deeply personal and moving account of their journey—from the horrors of October 7 and the anguish of separation to freedom, reunion, and the beginning of their married life together.
In an unexpected and poignant moment, Ziv spotted a familiar face among the hundreds gathered in the audience. It was Adam Cohen, a fellow survivor of the roadside bomb shelter where Ziv had endured the horrors of October 7.
The two had not seen each other since that fateful day, more than three years earlier. Now, thousands of miles from where they had last encountered one another under unimaginable circumstances, their paths crossed once again in a deeply moving reunion.
The program concluded on an uplifting note as Rabbi Mayer Greene of Chabad of the Valley presented a video montage featuring highlights from the couple’s recent wedding celebration. As the joyful images filled the screen, Rabbi Greene extended heartfelt wishes of Mazel Tov to Eliya and Ziv, bringing the audience to its feet in an enthusiastic standing ovation.
For Chabad of the Valley, the gathering brought a meaningful relationship full circle—from an emotional encounter in Jerusalem and a community’s determination to help, to the celebration of a young couple’s new beginning.
What began with an act of compassion had become a celebration of resilience, Jewish unity, and the triumph of love over unimaginable darkness.
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