Watch: Freed Hostage Agam Berger and Be’eri Orphan Perform at Heartwarming IDF Ceremony
Freed hostage Agam Berger and Daniel Weiss, who lost both parents on October 7, performed together at the IDF Wings Ceremony, their music symbolizing Israel’s resilience. Playing a Holocaust-surviving violin, their duet honored survival and hope in the face of ongoing war and trauma.
On July 10, 2025, a poignant moment unfolded at the IDF’s Wings Ceremony at the Hatzerim Airbase, where freed hostage Agam Berger performed alongside Daniel Weiss, a Kibbutz Be’eri resident who lost both parents in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. Their heartfelt performance, captured in a touching video shared widely on social media, showcased the unyielding resilience of the Israeli people amid ongoing war and trauma. Berger, a 20-year-old former surveillance soldier held captive for 482 days in Gaza, played a haunting melody on a violin gifted to her after her January 2025 release, a 130-year-old instrument that survived the Holocaust. Weiss, a vocalist and guitarist, accompanied her, his voice carrying the weight of personal loss yet resonating with hope.
The ceremony, honoring new IAF pilots, was a powerful testament to Israel’s spirit. Berger, kidnapped from the Nahal Oz base where 15 fellow soldiers were killed, endured nearly 16 months in Hamas captivity, yet her performance radiated strength. She previously played the same violin at the March of the Living in Auschwitz on April 24, 2025, alongside Weiss, performing “Shir LaMa’alot” to honor Holocaust victims. Weiss, whose parents were among the 97 murdered in Be’eri, spoke at the time, saying, “Standing on the stage at Birkenau is a profound and moving mission for me. Sharing this moment with Agam Berger, as she plays a violin that survived the Holocaust, is a powerful reminder of music’s ability to connect generations, to heal, and to preserve the stories that must never be forgotten.”
Their performance at Hatzerim, attended by families and soldiers, moved onlookers to tears. One X post described it as “a melody of survival,” reflecting the nation’s collective grief and determination. Berger’s family, including her twin sister Li-Yam and parents Meirav and Shlomi, have drawn strength from faith, with Meirav noting after Agam’s release, “We’re here and we’ll never leave you again, forever. That’s a mother’s promise.” The ongoing “Swords of Iron” war, with 888 IDF soldiers killed since October 7, 2023, underscores the sacrifices behind such moments. Berger and Weiss’s music, blending Jewish history and modern resilience, embodies Israel’s refusal to be broken, offering hope amid a conflict that has claimed over 49,000 lives, mostly Palestinian, per Gaza health officials.