President Isaac Herzog attended the wedding of two former hostages, Sasha Troufanov and Sapir Cohen, on Sunday evening.
Herzog and his wife First Lady Michal gave the couple a blessing from under the huppah (Jewish bridal canopy).
"We prayed for your return, we were moved to tears when you came back home, and this evening we were privileged to rejoice together with you and to bless you under the chuppah on your joyous day," they said.
"Mazal tov Sasha and Sapir. May you merit to build together a home filled with love, light, and joy!"
The two were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7 massacre, while visiting Troufanov's family.
Under the huppah, Herzog explained that he had previously stated that he would not attend any weddings until all the hostages returned, according to reporting from Ynet.
Cohen and Troufanov's time in Hamas captivity
Cohen was held by Hamas terrorists for 55 days before her release in November 2023, during the first hostage release deal, while Troufanov was in capitivity for 498 days. He was released as part of phase one of a mediated ceasefire/hostage release deal in February 2025.
Following Troufanov’s release from captivity on February 15, Cohen told reporters at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer: “He prayed I’d find another man, thinking he’d never return. But I waited.”
The couple announced their engagement in July 2025, 5 months after Troufanov's release.