‘Remember my brother, pray and speak his name’ says family of 20-year old hostage in Gaza
Security guard Rom Braslavski was kidnapped from the Nova Festival on October 7th by Hamas. On a solidarity mission to London, his older brother Amit says 'It's very tough. We need him back'.
The brother of a 20-year old Israeli man captive in Gaza spent several days in London in a bid to raise awareness of the hostages still held by Hamas.
Rom Braslavski from Jerusalem was working as a security guard when he was kidnapped from the Nova Festival on October 7th. He is one of three sons to parents, Tamar and Ofir Braslavski, alongside 25-year old Amit and 12-year old Ziv. Rom turned 20 years old whilst in captivity.
Last Tuesday, Amit travelled to the UK with his cousin Adam Hagag. Together they visited families, Chigwell and Hampstead Jewish communities, Hasmonean School and private homes to talk about Rom’s plight and the family crisis.
On October 7th, Rom was working as a security guard at the Nova festival when the terrorists struck.
Witnesses said that whilst Rom had several opportunities to save himself, he instead helped save others and hid dead bodies, so that Hamas could not take them.
A young woman who survived the attack and intense, follow up surgery, thanks to Rom, remembers vividly his “wide smile and words of comfort”.
At 10am when he was able to contact home, he lied to his mother so that she wouldn’t worry. He told her that he was with a policeman; that he was safe.
The next day, on October 8th, Amit trawled through the carnage of the Nova festival site searching for his brother. It was two months before the IDF was able to confirm Rom was taken alive as a hostage. None of the hostages released after October 7th say they saw him.
Rom’s parents are a divorced, two-home, low income family. Rom shares a room with Ziv in his mother’s home and the elder brothers both worked from the age of 14 years old to supplement the household income.
Amit describes his brother as “fun, and determined”, someone who “loves music, plays the drums and has a close circle of friends, his best being Ziv, his roommate of 12 years.”
He added: “My little brother and Rom are very connected. They shared a bed. They shared a room. And he hasn’t come back.”
Speaking to London supporters with his cousin Adam by his side, Amit played an old voice recording of Rom, where he can be heard speaking in Hebrew, saying that he would like to go to a hotel with all his family, go to the dining room and drink lots of Coke Zero ‘on the room’ (sic).
Translating the recording, Amit said: “He’s humble. This is the kid that wants Coke Zero on the room. This is his character. He’s not afraid to sleep outside. He’s not afraid to just jump in the sea. He loved life. He loved music. He loves chocolate Oreos. I wish he was home. I don’t want to wait much longer. I don’t know how the families survive this because it’s a very tough situation. My mother and dad are suffering. It’s very, very tough right now. So we need him back. We believe there will be a good end to this story.”
Claudia Salem,whose family hosted Amit and Adam, told Jewish News: “It’s been nine months since Rom was kidnapped into Gaza from the Nova festival. For Amit to be in my home in London, surrounded by 100 Jewish men, women and teens meant so much to him.
“We listened, we understood his pain and promised we will continue to support him by talking about Rom, donating money to financially supporting his family with their needs and to pray for his safe return. Amit is a simple young man with one wish. For his brother to be returned home, to share his bed with his 12 year old brother and see his parents live on with their lives. If anything this visit gave him strength, hope and power to keep positive. I saw the pain in his eyes and I’m so grateful that we showed up for him and his family”.
Amit asks those who wish to support his family to pray, have faith and speak the name: Rom ben Tamar Noa, to share his story and be his voice on social media.
To offer financial support to Rom’s family, click here.
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