Yom Kippur is about the freedom to choose, former Gaza hostages Keith and Aviva Siegel tell 'Post'

Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, is a time of introspection and self-reflection, requiring a full 25-hour period of abstinence from food and water for many. For former Gaza hostages Keith and Aviva Siegel, however, the observance of the holiday holds a unique significance as they prepare to celebrate for the first time with their families after their harrowing captivity.

Aviva Siegel, who spent 51 days in captivity, explained that being deprived of control over her diet and who she ate with was a significant issue during her time in Gaza. "When somebody goes through something like that... and has been starved and doesn't have any way to control what goes into your tummy and how much you eat and who you eat with and when you eat and what you like to eat... Everything of that was completely and utterly taken away," she said.

Keith Siegel, who endured 484 days in captivity, shared that his Jewish identity evolved during his time in Gaza. Despite the terrorists attempting to convince him to convert to Islam, he maintained his faith and found strength in prayer and reflection. "When I was in captivity, Judaism, or my Jewish identity, became different," he said.

The Siegels' Yom Kippur after captivity will be marked by a conscious choice to observe the holiday as they see fit. While Aviva will not be fasting this year, she feels that her perspective has changed since there are no longer any hostages remaining in Gaza. "Because of what I went through, and this year because all the hostages are here, I don't think I'm going to have questions," she said.

Keith emphasized that fasting and starvation are two distinct experiences. "Fasting and starvation are two completely different things for me," he stated. For him, Yom Kippur is not about the physical act of abstaining from food but rather about taking time to contemplate the past year.

Both Keith and Aviva emphasized the importance of the Siegels' ability to make their own decisions regarding the holiday. Keith noted that the conscious choice to abstain from eating is vastly different from being denied food entirely. "Fasting and starvation are two completely different things for me," he reiterated.

For the Siegels, Yom Kippur remains a deeply personal and meaningful holiday, filled with memories of loved ones and the lessons they learned during their captivity.