Michael Levy, whose younger brother, Or Levy, remains a hostage in Gaza, shared a simple message with Bay Area Jews and local diplomats last week.
“Please do anything you can to help me bring back my little brother and the remaining hostages,” he said.
During a dozen or so local meetings hosted by the American Jewish Committee, Michael Levy told the story of his brother’s abduction and the murder of Or’s wife, Eynav Elkayam Levy, on Oct. 7.
Or, 33, and Eynav, 32, were working in tech and raising their 2-year-old son Almog in Givatayim, outside Tel Aviv, before the fateful day. In other words, “They were living the new Israeli dream,” said Levy, speaking at a private event attended by diplomats from Australia, Austria, Israel, Japan, Peru, South Korea and Ukraine at the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund’s building in San Francisco on March 13.
The couple left their son with family, drove south early that Saturday morning and had just reached the Nova music festival when Hamas began firing missiles from Gaza. The couple took refuge with more than two dozen others in a roadside bomb shelter roughly the size of a single parking spot.
At first, they were in good spirits, according to a brief video that Levy showed during his talk.
“They thought it was only a missile attack, which I’m sad to say is just normal for us,” said Levy, 40. “Even my 9-year-old daughter has already experienced six missile attacks in her life.”
But the situation quickly deteriorated as terrorists reached the shelter and began throwing grenades into the tiny space.
An off-duty and unarmed soldier, Staff Sgt. Aner Elyakim Shapiro, managed to throw seven grenades out of the shelter, but the eighth exploded, killing him and 17 others. Seven people survived.
“My brother saw his soulmate murdered in front of his eyes,” said Levy.
Hamas filmed the attack and the abduction of four survivors from that shelter, including Or Levy and Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a Berkeley native who lost part of his arm in the grenade attack.
Michael Levy last heard months back that his brother remains alive in Gaza. He doesn’t have a reason to believe that Or has been killed, he said, but also doesn’t feel overly optimistic when he hears about more potential hostage releases. Levy said Hamas purposely sends mixed messages to inflict psychological terror on Israelis and “play” with their minds.
Neither the International Committee of the Red Cross nor any medical aid organization has been given permission to visit the hostages. Today, some 134 hostages remain in captivity in Gaza, though only an estimated 100 are believed to be alive.
“There are few greater mitzvahs than the redemption of captives, which is a central tenet of Judaism, and it is imperative to preserve life at all costs,” said Oleg Ivanov, AJC regional assistant director. “AJC remains committed to urging all relevant parties to continue to pressure Hamas into releasing all of its hostages.”
Levy has made pleas to presidents and prime ministers to pressure countries such as Qatar that can help move hostage negotiations forward. Levy and other relatives of hostages also met with Pope Francis, who prayed with them for peace and the safe return of all hostages.
Levy’s talks in the Bay Area were attended by educators, activists and political leaders, including former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, Palo Alto Mayor Greer Stone, former San Jose mayor and congressional candidate Sam Liccardo and congressional candidate Peter Dixon.
On his last evening in the Bay Area, Levy was hosted by Israeli Silicon Valley couple Michal and Guy Miasnik, who also serves on the Federation board, at an event that included members of the Indian community.
“Being able to support the Jewish community after Oct. 7 for us has been a moral imperative,” said Samir Kalra, managing director at the Hindu American Foundation. “What happened is an ongoing crime against humanity.”