After 700 days in captivity, a song of hope for Alon Ohel

Last week, after Gaza hostage Alon Ohel had spent more than 700 days in captivity, his family received the first direct sign of life from him. In the footage released by Hamas, his mother Idit Ohel caught her first glimpse of her son since he was taken. A few days later, Israeli singer-songwriter Dana Berger released what Idit asked her to call “a song of hope” for Alon.

Song for Alon was originally scheduled for release in a few weeks but was brought forward following the news. Berger explained “I wrote this song from the perspective of Idit to Alon, who has been in captivity in Gaza for almost two years. It is a song by a mother for her beloved son who went dancing at a party and has not yet returned home. It is a song of longing and hope. Idit asks us to put aside despair and cynicism for a moment and believe that it is still possible.”

Berger’s relationship with Idit and the Ohel family began soon after 7 October, when she met them at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, where she had performed another song about waiting for loved one.

“When I tearfully walked off the stage after my song Waiting for Him I went straight into the arms of Idit, Kobi and Ronen. They are the ones who hug me and give me strength. They are very special people — gentle, noble and inspiring. Since then, our connection has only deepened.”

Alon, 24, a talented pianist, had gone to the Supernova desert rave with several friends, arriving at 5:30 a.m. — just an hour before the Hamas attack began. He and his friends fled to a field shelter, which was later attacked by terrorists, killing many inside. Alon was taken captive along with Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eliya Cohen and Or Levy. Goldberg-Polin was later murdered in captivity, while Cohen and Levy were released in hostage deals.