Rabbis, Imams, and Sheikhs arrived from all over Israel to Rahat on Monday to console the families of Youssef and Hamza Al Ziyadne, two hostages held captive by Hamas for nearly 15 months until their bodies were recovered by the IDF last week.
The interfaith delegation, which amounted to around 20 people comprised of Jewish and Muslim religious leaders, was led by the Ohr Torah Interfaith Center, The Forum of Interfaith Leaders in Israel, and the Interfaith Initiative of the Negev.
The Ohr Torah Interfaith Center is part of the larger Ohr Torah Stone network, whose President, Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander, said, "The Al Ziyadne family embodies resilience and hope, teaching us to overcome the darkness of loss by finding light in unity.
"Though we come from different faiths, we mourn together as one community, praying for a future of peace for all our children. In times like these, it is the shared acts of solidarity that affirm our common humanity and provide strength to those who need it most," he continued.
The Interfaith Center's Managing Director, Rabbi Aharon Ariel Lavi, led the entire delegation of interfaith organizations to Rahat.
"Our hearts break with every tragic announcement of hostages being killed, and our thoughts are with our Bedouin brothers during these painful times," he said, while also noting the courage of Israeli Arab residents who aided those who were wounded from the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
"Youssef Al Ziyadne was a true hero who saved countless lives at the Nova Party, even as his own family members were taken hostage." Lavi, who works as a combat medic living near the Gaza Strip, served for nearly 7 months on reserve duty in the IDF.
One of the founders of the Interfaith Initiative in the Negev, Rabbi Elkana Sherlow, added that the deaths of the Al Ziyadne hostages "is a shared tragedy" while emphasizing that the presence of both Jewish and Muslim figures in Rahat "reflects the bonds of unity and mutual responsibility that underpin our work and relationships."
One statement by a Muslim official
Sheikh Younes Amasha represented the Forum of Interfaith Leaders in Israel as part of the interfaith delegation and said that the Forum grieves the loss of the two hostages and called for world leaders to "act in every possible way" to assist in ending the war in Gaza and the return of all hostages.
One notable statement at the consolation of the Al Ziyadne family was made by Lavi, who said, "We stand here in solidarity to affirm that there is another path—a path of peace and cooperation between Jews and Muslims, one that rejects violence and bloodshed and embraces hope and mutual respect.”