Former Hostage Alon Ohel Performs Tunnel Song on First Birthday Since Captivity

Four months after returning home from the darkness of captivity, Alon Ohel sat at a piano in Tel Aviv and did something extraordinary. He sang the same song that carried him through the depths of Hamas tunnels this time, in freedom.

At Hangar 11 in Tel Aviv, the former hostage marked his first birthday since captivity with a sold-out concert that quickly became one of the most moving musical moments of the year. Tickets disappeared within hours. The audience came not only to celebrate a birthday, but to honor survival, faith, and the healing power of song.

The evening featured appearances by some of Israel’s most beloved artists, including Shlomi Shaban, Idan Amedi, Eviatar Banai, Marina Maximilian Blumin, and the band Monica Sex. Each brought their voice to a night that blended celebration with reflection.

But the emotional peak came when the stage lights dimmed and Alon Ohel remained alone at the piano.

He began to play “Song Without a Name,” written by Shalom Hanoch and famously performed by Yehudit Ravitz. The gentle melody filled the hall, now far removed from the suffocating silence of Gaza’s underground tunnels where Ohel once sang it quietly to fellow captives.

During his months in Hamas captivity, Ohel used music as a lifeline. According to released hostage Eli Sharabi, who formed a close bond with him while they were held together and was freed in February 2025, Ohel would play the song for others deep inside the tunnels. In that place of fear and uncertainty, the song offered comfort.

At the concert, Ohel gave a heartfelt shout-out to Sharabi, who sat among the audience. It was a powerful image: two men who endured unimaginable hardship now reunited in a hall filled with light and applause.

The lyrics of “Song Without a Name” resonate with longing and quiet strength. Lines such as “Because my song is the breeze / My open window / My source of strength, laughter and crying / The end of my torment” carried special meaning in captivity. In a space designed to break the spirit, the song became a reminder that hope could not be extinguished.

As he played, the audience listened in complete silence.

Then Ohel turned toward them and asked for their voices. He invited the crowd to sing two words with him: “Ketz yisurai”—“An end to my torment.”

Thousands joined him.

In that moment, the words transcended the personal. They became a prayer not only for Ohel, but for all those still waiting to come home. A declaration that suffering will not define the Jewish people. A collective promise that light will follow darkness.

The concert was more than a birthday celebration. It was a testament to the strength of the human spirit and to the unbreakable bond between Israelis. Music, in this case, became both memory and healing.

Israel has faced painful months. Yet stories like Alon Ohel’s remind us that even in the deepest tunnels, the Jewish soul sings. And when that song returns to the open air, it carries the weight of survival and the promise of renewal.

From captivity to concert stage, Ohel’s journey reflects the enduring courage of a nation that refuses to surrender to despair.

Israel continues to stand united, celebrating life and bringing light where darkness once prevailed. Share this inspiring story and subscribe to our newsletter for more updates on Israel’s journey of strength and hope.