Bar Abraham Kupershtein, 23, returned home on Monday after 738 days in Hamas captivity, prompting a nationwide campaign to support his rehabilitation and his family, who relied on him before his abduction at the Nova music festival.
By Tuesday night, the online fundraiser, titled “Bar Kupershtein returns home to his family,” had drawn thousands of donations and was approaching the first half-million shekels raised, roughly a tenth of its NIS 5 million goal, according to the campaign page. Organizers framed the effort as a way to “build the bridge to recovery,” noting that Kupershtein’s father is disabled and the family depended on Bar’s daily help.
Kupershtein's actions saved lives on October 7
Kupershtein, a Holon resident and former Nahal combat soldier who also volunteered as a paramedic, was abducted on October 7, 2023, while assisting the wounded at the Nova site.
Family members and supporters say he shuttled back and forth to evacuate victims even when he could have fled. “He went four times on a Ranger; he could have escaped, but he chose to return to the inferno,” his father said earlier this week.
Crowds greeted Kupershtein and other freed hostages outside Sheba Medical Center’s “Returnees Tower,” where he waved to well-wishers celebrating Simchat Torah. Advocacy groups also marked his release, calling him “a primary breadwinner” and underscoring the family’s needs as he begins a long recovery.
The fundraiser is hosted by the Merit Spread Foundation, which says it is registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the United States and as a public benefit company in Israel, recognized under Section 46 for tax-deductible giving. The foundation has supported a range of Israel-related relief and recovery projects since October 2023.
Campaign organizers described the homecoming as “only the first step,” urging donors to help cover medical, emotional, logistical, and economic support for the Kupershtein family. “Now that our hearts have finally found peace, it’s time for us to tell Bar: We support you,” the campaign text reads.
More information about the campaign can be found on the website.