Hid Jewish identity
Jewish leaders and people who knew Sotloff say that he hid his Jewish identity from ISIS. This includes concealing dual U.S.-Israeli nationality and that he worked for Israeli media outlets.
A person who was held captive by ISIS at the same time says he managed to fast on Yom Kippur and pray secretly towards Jerusalem. Avi Hoffman, editor of the Jerusalem Report where Sotloff had filed stories, says they refused to aknowledge a relationship with him, for Sotloff’s protection.