There are moments in life when words simply aren’t enough. Yesterday was one of them. As I watched my beautiful friend Emily Damari stand beneath a chupah to marry the woman she loves, Dani Amit, I felt an overwhelming sense of happiness, pride and gratitude.
It is difficult to put into words what this moment means to me. I think back to October 7, 2023, when Emily was just 27 years old. Hamas terrorists stormed her Kibbutz, Kfar Aza, shot her in the hand and leg, killed her beloved cockapoo, Choocha, and kidnapped her from her bedroom. Badly injured, she was taken into Gaza, where she was held hostage for 471 days. Four hundred and seventy-one days that none of us will ever forget.
While Emily fought to survive in the darkness of Hamas’s tunnels, cages, hospitals, schools and homes, her incredible mum, my dear friend Mandy, fought every single day to bring her daughter home. I had the privilege of standing beside Mandy as we launched a national British campaign for Emily’s release. I saw her determination, her power and courage, and the extraordinary depth of her love for her daughter up close. And alongside Mandy were Emily’s three amazing brothers, Ben, Tom and Sean. They never stopped fighting for Emily. They never stopped saying her name. They never stopped hoping. And, most importantly, we never stopped believing.
Then came the day we had all prayed and campaigned so hard for. Emily was coming home. I will never forget standing outside the hospital with so many of her amazing friends, watching the helicopter carrying her descend from the sky and feeling the wind from the propellers in my hair. The moment had arrived. It was almost too much to take in. I could hardly breathe – only beam and cry.
And then came the moment I will carry with me for ever: seeing Mandy reunited with her daughter after 471 unimaginable days. The relief. The tears. The emotion. What an extraordinary experience to have lived through first-hand alongside the Damari family. But what I could never have known then was that through this terrible journey, I would gain something incredibly precious too: Emily herself. Somewhere along the way, our relationship became so much more than me campaigning for a young woman I desperately wanted to see free. I got to know Emily.
Since her release, we have travelled extensively together. I have watched her attend events and conferences, tell her story, meet people across the world and inspire so many who see her as a prayer answered. And the more I have got to know her, the more I have come to love her. We have developed a deep and very special friendship and connection that I treasure enormously. Emily has a magical, intoxicating personality. She is warm, hilarious, strong, resourceful and incredibly loving. She has endured something most of us could never begin to imagine, yet somehow she continues to bring light into the lives of everyone around her. And last night, she was the light.
In life, there can be no light without darkness. Emily knows darkness only too well – in a way none of us should ever have to. Yet somehow, that darkness has made her stronger, more resilient and more grateful for life. It has not extinguished her laughter, her love, her spirit or her ability to dream. If anything, she seems to have emerged with an even greater capacity to love and embrace life. And last night, that life was standing before us. Emily, beneath a chupah, beside Dani, surrounded by love. What a journey. From the terror tunnels of Hamas to the miracle of a chupah. From captivity to freedom. From 471 days of darkness to a day filled with only light. For me, this is the most extraordinary full-circle moment.
I look at Mandy and think about everything she endured – the conversations, speeches, campaigns, meetings and moments of despair. I think about her brothers Ben, Tom and Sean, and the extraordinary strength of that family. I feel so incredibly proud of them. Proud that they never gave up. Proud that they never stopped believing. And profoundly grateful that I got to witness this beautiful moment. Because this is so much more than a wedding. It is Emily reclaiming her life. It is love winning over hate. It is light emerging from the darkest place imaginable.
Emily, my darling friend, I hope you know just how deeply loved you are. I hope you know how many people fought for you and waited for this day. And I hope you know how incredibly special it is for me to watch you begin this beautiful new chapter with Dani. After everything you have been through, seeing you happy is one of the greatest gifts.
And I look at Mandy, Ben, Tom and Sean and think of the family who never stopped fighting for you. We never stopped believing. Last night, my heart was overflowing with love, pride and the most extraordinary joy. What a privilege it is to call you my friend. And thank you to God above. My gratitude is overflowing.
Emily Cohen is a media strategist and Israel advocate, helping to amplify voices that need to be heard
To get more from opinion, click here to sign up for our free Editor's Picks newsletter.