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Anav Silverman Peretz is an English teacher and writer who grew up in Calais. She moved to Israel in 2004 and lives with her family in the Negev Highlands.
Living in Israel, the story of the hostages are not just headlines in our phones. Their families are part of our communities. They are heroic people, unknown in the international sphere for their tireless battle to get their loved ones freed from Hamas.
Sarit Levy is such a person. A short woman with penetrating brown eyes, the mom of five owns a second-hand clothing store in Midreshet Ben Gurion, where she tries to do her part in creating a more sustainable environment by getting people to buy used clothing instead of fast fashion.
Sarit is also the aunt of Naama Levy, 20, an Israel Defense Forces field observer brutally kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 from the Nahal Oz military base.
In a recent photo, Naama is shown with a black eye and swollen face. In other Hamas videos, she has blood on her pants. Her father, Yoni, said during a press conference in July that his daughter is in the tunnels under Gaza.
A soft-spoken woman, Sarit is close with Naama and often talks about her to customers who shop in her store.
One customer, Lital Bustan, a young woman who lives on a nearby olive farm, tells me that Sarit’s store is a clothing haven for her. “I am a huge fan of second-hand clothing. When I heard that Naama had been kidnapped to Gaza, I knew that I wanted to help Sarit but I didn’t know what to do.”
More religiously inclined, Sarit has organized prayer services and challah baking ceremonies for the release of Naama and the rest of the hostages. In a community of 2,000 secular residents, these initiatives are not typical.
“I started to light Shabbat candles,” Bustan said. “This is not my thing,” she said with a smile. “I’m not religious, and after two weeks, I stopped. But there is something about these times, where you will try anything. Today, I look at the empty candle holders on Friday night and send Naama positive thoughts.”
It was along this vein that Sarit Levy decided that she needed to organize a special event for Naama’s upcoming Hebrew birthday according to the Jewish calendar. Naama’s secular birthday, which took place on June 22, was marked by massive demonstrations across Israel including at the Hostages Square in Tel Aviv. Naama’s parents, Yoni and Ayelet, who also took part in the Tel Aviv demonstration, have been appealing to the media and governments abroad to help get their daughter free.
Sarit Levy’s modest event had a more faith-based nuance. She believes in appealing to God just as much as the international community.
“We need faith, simple acts of faith,” she said. “I wanted to do something that would send Naama positive thoughts and energy on her Hebrew birthday.”
According to the Jewish sages and Kabalistic teachings, the day a person is born gives that person mystical powers and benefits.
“Naama is very special,” Sarit said. “She’s a great sister to her three siblings. I remember the last family gathering where Naama and I talked. She has many hopes and dreams for her future. It was impossible to imagine that Naama would be captured by Hamas.”
For Naama’s Hebrew birthday, which coincided with Sarit’s 50th birthday, her aunt organized a birthday “celebration” held at a local high school on July 8. An empty birthday chair decorated with Naama’s name greeted the attendees, which included people from the spectrum of Israeli society from the ultra-Orthodox to secular kibbutz members.
“The expected response to the tragedies that have befallen our nation are depression and anxiety. But the secret to overcoming this struggle is the confidence that good will be revealed,” said Rabbi Yitzhak Arad, who spoke at the event.
“Faith can change reality,” he said.
Some of the “acts of faith” that attendees took part in included creating colorful birthday cards for Nama as well as pieces of jewelry. A local dressmaker sewed a beautiful blue dress for the hostage while others gave charity.
Presenting the items to the audience, Sarit explained that the gifts would be given to Naama as soon as she is freed. Soon after, the audience sang Psalms and Israeli folk songs.
At the end, a tearful Sarit and her husband suddenly broke out in a hopeful hora, holding hands as their children formed a circle around them. Others including myself joined them.
Soon, Naama’s elderly grandmother, Devorah, joined in. Holding onto my hand, she looked on in amazement and tears.
“I so miss my granddaughter,” said Devorah, a short lady with a sweet smile. “It’s been 10 long months. “But we have to hold on to the faith that Naama will return.”
For Sarit, the communal dancing was a powerful moment. “That energy was exactly what I wanted for Naama tonight,” she said.
“I hope she feels how much we love and want her back home.”