Blog
Beloved, Released 4-Year-Old Avigail Idan
After her parents were brutally murdered on October 7th, American-Israeli Avigail Idan and her two older siblings were left orphaned. Avigail, who went to a neighbor’s home after her parents were killed, was taken hostage by Hamas along with her neighbors. B”H, Avigail’s release yesterday was announced by President Biden and featured in newspaper headlines around the world. My friend, Chaya, said something so beautiful and true about Avigail Idan that it gave me goosebumps. She said, “You know, hundreds of thousands of...
read more9-Year-Old Girl Presumed Dead Reunited with Father
https://jewishmom.com/wp-content/uploads/6a408648-d911-4c91-b6d0-fdc89e8795b4.mp4 Between October 7th and the end of October, authorities believed that Irish-Israeli Emily Hand was among the 1200+ Israelis inhumanly murdered by Hamas. But then Emily’s father got the unbelievable news, that his daughter (whose mother died of cancer when Emily was only 2-years-old) was apparently alive and being held hostage by Hamas. B”H, here is the video of their reunion last night. I’m sure I will be thinking of them the next time I recite...
read moreThe Names and Faces of the 26 Released Hostages
B”H these are the hostages who have been released so far, on Friday and Saturday. May our list of names to pray for shrink and shrink until it disappears entirely please God...
read moreYoni Asher’s Emotional Reunion with Wife and Daughters Held Captive by Hamas
Thank G-d! Just minutes before Shabbat, Raz (2), Aviv (4) and their mother Doron (34) were released from captivity by Hamas. They were abducted on Simchat Torah while visited their grandmother Efrat Katz HY”D at Kibbutz Nir Oz. Father Yoni Asher told reporters: “I am happy that I got my family back…But I don’t celebrate, I won’t celebrate until the last of the hostages returns. I want to emphasize — our children, our fathers, our mothers, our sisters — are at this time in captivity, there are people whose hearts are broken...
read moreFinding Emma Platt: An Injured Soldier Locates Author of his Letter
https://jewishmom.com/wp-content/uploads/404361037_722188549787492_7154254891586889287_n.mp4 I watched this a few hours ago and can’t get it out of my mind! An American girl wrote a letter to encourage an IDF soldier, and he had it with him when he was injured. This young girl’s letter from the other side of the world is giving him the strength to get through his ordeal. And after his request went viral, Emma Platt was found. Incredible! Makes me want to write more letters to encourage our soldiers! Refuah shlema to this holy...
read moreTomorrow, Tomorrow, I Love You, Tomorrow
Tomorrow at 4 PM Israel Time (9 AM EST) 13 hostages, all of them women and children, are scheduled to be released by Hamas. I cannot remember the last time I felt SO excited! Maybe right before I gave birth to my youngest child 8 years ago? Which makes me remember that before October 7th, when all these hostages were still safe at home, it didn’t occur to me to jump for joy. This War, I’m finding, makes me yearn for normal. And IY”H tomorrow, right before I light candles, I will jump for joy and say Mizmor l’Todah with...
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A Second Before My Flight Takes Off
Just wanted to send a quick message before my flight back to Israel takes off in a second. My flight from Israel to the US last week was around half full. This plane back to Israel is 100% full. Not one seat empty. Who would believe, based on the news, that the planes going to Israel are twice as full as the planes leaving Israel! מי כעמך ישראל! מים רבים לא יוכלו לכבות את האהבה, שלנו. Who is like Your people Israel? Abundant waters cannot extinguish our love. 🇮🇱 ✡👩🍼Join the...
read moreThe Death of a Young Soldier
I received tragic news from my sons’ elementary school this morning. A 21-year-old graduate named Eitan Dishon was killed yesterday in Gaza while fighting in the elite Sayeret Givati Unit. Then I received another Email from my oldest son’s high school. Eitan HY”D, it turned out, was also the grandson of a senior teacher and the school’s longstanding secretary. Tomorrow I return home to Israel. To the funerals. To the shivas. To standing with an Israeli flag on the side of the road as bereaved neighbors leave home to...
read moreThe Black Patient’s Blessing
The day after my Dad’s cataract surgery, we went back to the surgeon’s office for a check-up. While in the waiting room, an older Black man wearing a ministerial suit sat down in the empty chair next to mine: “Ma’am, are you Amish?” “No,” I responded, “I’m Jewish.” The man shook his head in dismay, “Well, do you think things are going to get any better over there? One thing I know for sure, Satan is having a field day! But I’ll tell you, my Jewish sister, you Jews stick...
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