Liat Beinin Atzili, a 49-year-old American-Israeli citizen, made headlines after Hamas kidnapped her on October 7. For many Israelis, her past as a youth guide at Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial, provided an emotional depth to the incident. She was rescued from Hamas’s hands on Wednesday (Nov 29), the second American captive release following the successful release of 4-year-old Abigail Edan on Sunday (Nov 26) amid the Israeli-Hamas truce.
Liat and her 49-year-old husband, Aviv Atzili, were kidnapped during a Hamas militant attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz
Liat and her 49-year-old husband, Aviv Atzili, were kidnapped during a Hamas militant attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz. According to media sources, Liat volunteered at Yad Vashem and was able to connect with tourists due to her cheerful demeanour and good knowledge of English. Aviv, an artist and mechanic, on the other hand, maintained farm machinery in Kibbutz Nir Oz and transformed old equipment into canvases for his paintings.
The couple adopted a puppy with specific needs. However, the dog was murdered during Hamas’s bombardment on October 7. Liat and Aviv met as youth counsellors and married after three years of travelling. They eventually settled on Kibbutz Nir Oz, where they raised their three children. Before the release, Liat’s father, Yehuda, expressed his hope and said, “The ultimate greeting that I can pass on to my daughter, are Hebrew words from the Bible,’’ he said adding, “What Moses said to Joshua is to be strong and courageous … and if Liat hears this, she knows that this is my ultimate blessing.”
Former executive director of the Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut Jerry Fischer in a statement on Wednesday (Nov 29) wrote, “My Beinin family from Israel spent five days in eastern Connecticut with us this August.” “We grew very close to them as they walked with us in Harkness Park, dined with us, and shared birthdays with us over lobster in Noank. As soon as we heard of their capture we reached out to our Congressman, Joe Courtney and he did everything possible to keep Liat and Aviv’s capture high on the agenda of the State Department and the US Embassy in Jerusalem. We cannot thank him and his staff enough for their dedication and diligence in the efforts to free the hostages.” Liat’s husband Aviv Atzili is believed to be still held captive by Hamas.
