An Israel Defense Forces soldier who was held captive for 482 days in Gaza after being abducted during the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre played the Israeli national anthem at a Jewish festival in Berlin on Friday.
Agam Berger, 21, an IDF field observer who was released by Hamas in January as part of a ceasefire agreement, performed “Hatikva” on the violin at the 38th annual Jüdische Kulturtage in the German capital.
Former hostage Agam Berger played “Hatikvah” in Berlin.
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) November 15, 2025
Jews gathered to sing Hatikvah after the Nazis' Bergen-Belsen camp was liberated in 1945. Today, Agam played it after surviving 482 days in Hamas captivity.
Our hope is not yet lost. This is the sound of Jewish resilience. pic.twitter.com/zybX3x4NTv
Earlier this year, she played musical selections from the 1993 film “Schindler’s List” at the annual March of the Living in Poland, on a 130-year-old violin that survived the Holocaust.
Berger was abducted from the IDF’s Nahal Oz military outpost on Oct. 7 along with several other female soldiers. She has spoken extensively about how she kept faith during her almost 500 days in captivity.
