Released Gaza hostage Or Levy got a tattoo in honor of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, he announced in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
Levy shared the powerful words of his late companion, which he said continue to haunt him.
The tattoo reads, “He who has a why can deal with any how.”
“I knew that when I returned, I wanted to get a tattoo with this sentence,” he wrote. “This sentence has accompanied me since then and still does.”
“Maybe because of it, I managed to survive this horrible hell. My ‘why’ is Almog (Levy’s 3-year-old son), and for him, I knew I would survive anything, no matter how difficult it would be.”
A wish fulfilled
Levy’s determination to survive was anchored in his deep love for Almog. He explained, “Even in captivity, I knew that when I returned, I wanted to get a tattoo with this sentence so I would never forget it. Today, I finally had the opportunity to fulfill this wish.”
After returning home, Levy shared his experience with Hersh’s parents, Rachel and Jon, learning that the quote had its roots in Nietzsche, as cited in Viktor Frankl’s book Man’s Search for Meaning.
Frankl used the quote to illustrate the psychological strength required to survive the horrors of the Holocaust.
“I have tried to avoid comparisons to the Holocaust until now,” Levy admitted, “but the parallels are clear.”
As renewed fighting continues in the region, Levy reflected on the trauma of his captivity.
“I cannot help but remember that time – the fears, the mental and physical abuse, the constant danger to our lives that still hangs over the heads of 59 of our brothers and sisters. It’s impossible to describe how hard this ‘how’ is, how much they are suffering there, and how much their families are suffering.”
He ended the post with a call to bring the rest of the hostages home.
“There is no goal more important than saving the lives of the hostages who are there. I am calling on all of you—please help us put an end to this terrible suffering.”
Jesus Christ is King
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