Earlier this week, I attended the International Lion of Judah Conference in Atlanta. Rachel Goldberg-Polin was one of the featured speakers. Her son, Hersh (z”l), was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Sadly, he was murdered while in captivity in August 2024.
Her story was incredibly moving. She was asked how she was able to carry on when her son was abducted, and in the aftermath of his death. She simply said, “I believe hope is mandatory.”
A day after I heard Rachel speak, news broke of a potential Israel-Hamas ceasefire. If implemented as proposed, the deal is set to be carried out in three phases, with the eventual release of all remaining hostages.
Yesterday, JFNA released the following statement:
Jewish Federations welcome news of a deal to release dozens of hostages, create a framework for releasing all the hostages, and allow Israel a path forward to protect the safety and security of its citizens.
Every day for over 15 months, our community has held the hostages in our hearts, wept for their plight, prayed for their safe return, and mourned for those who we lost.
We’ve held close our Israeli brothers and sisters who have suffered, been displaced, fought in reserves, struggled to keep their businesses afloat, and worked to keep their families and communities alive.
There is much work to be done and significant uncertainty ahead, but we are hopeful that the first phase of this agreement will pave the way for the remaining hostages to be reunited with their family, for hostilities to end, and for an era of security and rebuilding for both Israel and her neighbors.
We must also thank President Biden and President-elect Trump, for their unprecedented coordination to bring both sides together to get a deal done.
I, like many people, remain cautiously optimistic that perhaps we are finally nearing the end of the war. I also find myself pondering an array of questions regarding the ceasefire.
In an effort to explain the ceasefire further and answer questions people may have, Jewish Federations of North America is hosting an exclusive briefing TODAY, JANUARY 16 AT 3:30 P.M. ET with Israeli journalist Haviv Rettig Gur, who will speak about the newly signed ceasefire agreement. The briefing will also address questions such as “After 15 months of war, what lies ahead?”, “Which hostages will be freed?”, “How is this development being received in Israel?”, and “Can the ceasefire endure?”
To register for the briefing, click here.
