Emotional moment released Hamas hostage Jaffa Adar, 85, who got through captivity by singing Andrea Bocelli's music in her head, gets invite to the Italian tenor's show in heartwarming letter from artist
Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli has written to Jaffa Adar and invited to fly her over for a concert
By Shari Miller
Daily Mai;
Dec 23, 2023
Video of Jaffa Adar, who was abducted from Kfar Aza kibbutz on October 7, went viral in the days following the deadly attack after showing the elderly woman being taken away by her captors in her own golf cart
An 85-year-old Israeli grandmother, who has spoken of surviving the 'hell' of being kidnapped by Hamas terrorists by singing the songs of Andera Bocelli in her head, was left speechless after receiving a letter from the renowned Italian tenor inviting her to one of his shows.
Video of Jaffa Adar, who was abducted from Kfar Aza kibbutz on October 7 went viral in the days following the deadly attack after showing the elderly woman being taken away by her captors in her own golf cart.
In the aftermath of her ordeal, Adar told Israel's Channel 12: 'Every morning, I'd sing Bocelli to myself and say, "God, maybe this will bring a good day. Maybe today will bring [my release].'
Now that story has reached Andrea Bocelli, himself, who has written to the freed hostage and personally invited to fly her out for a show or private concert.
In a video posted by Hen Mazzig on X, formerly known as Twitter, her granddaughter reads out the heartfelt letter to a stunned Adar.
Jaffa Adar, an 85-year-old Israeli grandmother, who has spoken of surviving the 'hell' of being kidnapped by Hamas terrorists by singing the songs of Andera Bocelli in her head, was left speechless after receiving a letter from the renowned Italian tenor
In a video posted by Hen Mazzig on X, her granddaughter reads out the heartfelt letter to a stunned Adar
Andrea Bocelli has written to the freed hostage and invited to fly her out for a private concert
Bocelli wrote in his letter to Adar: 'There is no award, no applause, no honor or recognition, that is worth as much as your words, which I assure you, I shall never forget.'
'Dearest Madam Jaffa Adar,' he writes.
'I wish I could give you a hug! I would like to thank you for the emotion that your story aroused in all the people who had the privilege to listen to it and especially in me, as, quite incredibly, I am part of it!'
'I truly would never have thought that my humble voice, this great gift I undeservedly received from the heavens, could one day turn out to be so important!'
'There is no award, no applause, no honor or recognition, that is worth as much as your words, which I assure you, I shall never forget.'
'Thanks to you, from now on, I shall sing with renewed enthusiasm, with renewed faith, with new energy.'
'I hope to be able to meet you one day and sing, just for you, whatever you may wish, so as to erase, as much as possible, the painful memory of terrible days, which I cannot even imagine.
'I deeply admire your courage, which is an example for us all. From the other side of the ocean, I send you my warmest regards, full of gratitude, admiration and affection.'
Bocelli was moved by Adar's admission that she had sung his songs in her head while being kept captive in Gaza by Hamas terrorists for 49 days and wrote a letter to her in response
A clearly emotional Adar presses the letter to her chest and exclaims: 'Wow! Wow! Wow! What an honor! Andrea Bocelli!'
She adds: 'This is the highlight of my life.
'It's an honour for me. Wow! I am honestly so moved. How wonderful, how incredible. Who would believe I would have in my hand a letter from Andre Bocelli?'
Shaking her head in disbelief, the video ends with Adar smiling and kissing the letter.
Just last week, Adar appeared in a video alongside three other released hostages pleading for the rest of the more than 100 captives to be freed
Just last week, Adar appeared in a video alongside three other released hostages pleading for the rest of the more than 100 captives to be freed.
Adar, alongside Danielle Aloni, 45, Ditza Heiman, 84 and Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, gave their testimony to The Missing Families and Hostages Forum, a campaign group set up in Israel as 136 hostages remain trapped in Gaza.
The harrowing accounts of torture and starvation in the vast 'spider web' of tunnels beneath Gaza were broadcast last week at a rally in the Hostage Square in Tel Aviv.
Adar, 85, who was held for 49 days, gave her account on November 24.
Her grandson Tamir Adar, 38, a married father-of-two, is still being held hostage.
'I spent 49 days in that hell,' she said.
It is not clear what physical injuries she sustained, but Adar had a bandage covering her left arm in the video.
Back in her arms again: Yaffa Adar with her granddaughter Adva, pictured in 2021
She spoke with intent: 'I am asking, begging from all decision makers to get the kids out. Get them all out.'
'Free the children now! I want to see them now!' she said. 'Not when I will be in a coffin.'
Prior to her release, her grand-daughter Adva appealed for her to be returned and revealed that she relied on medicine and would likely have been in 'a lot of pain'.
She told Sky News on October 9: 'We saw the videos showing men with guns taking her to Gaza. I cannot even start to imagine how scared she is.'
She added: 'The situation might be hard, but there's no reason in the world that elderly women and kids and babies get kidnapped.'
1 comment:
Good for her.
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