Today the last of our living hostages were returned home. It was a day filled with anticipation, nerves, and dare I say it... Hope.
We've done our best to shield you from the atrocities of this war. To protect your innocence and keep you safe.
Loowan, you were a baby when this all began. You barely turned one year old as the ground invasion was begining. Your innocence kept me grounded and my focus on you helped us discover your ASD. Discovering and learning with you has been both refreshing and has kept me focused (over focused?) on what's important.
Siikwan, you were still 4 years old when the started. Slowly (but much faster than I would have liked) you learned about the words: war, soldier, sirens, rockets/missiles, kidnapped, and hostages. Words so heavy that you learned much earlier than you ever should have.
So today as the hostages were released we watched hours of coverage. We learned of first phone calls to their families (in lieu of a big parade) made by Hamas before being turned over to Red Cross.
The first seven living hostages — Matan Angrest, Alon Ohel, Omri Miran, Eitan Mor, Guy Gilboa-Dallal and twin brothers Gali and Ziv Berman.
We saw Omri Miran reunite with his wife and daughters. The youngest was only a baby when he was abducted.
We saw Alon Ohel smile and while wondering about the vision left in his eye, burst into tears again.
We saw twin brothers Gali and Ziv Berman reunite after being held separately for 2 years.
The next 13 — Elkana Bohbot, Avinatan Or, Yosef-Haim Ohana, Evyatar David, Rom Braslavski, Segev Kalfon, Nimrod Cohen, Maxim Herkin, Eitan Horn, Matan Zangauker, Bar Kupershtein and brothers David and Ariel Cunio.
We saw Tal Kupershtein stand after a devastating stroke to greet his son Bar when he arrived at the hospital. Tal relearned to talk in order to cry out for his son. He relearned to walk for the moment to stand and embrace his son.
We saw Eitan Horn hug his brothers including Iair Horn (also a survivor) who fought tirelessly from the moment of his own freedom.
We felt Matan Zangauker mother, Einav's relief after a two year fight of a lioness for her son.
We felt the love and relief as Noa Argamani and Avinatan Or reunited, having been most famously ripped away from each other.
We said shehecheyanu with your loved ones calling out to Gd in thanks and praise. A welcomed respite from their 2 years of suffering.
We also received the bodies of Guy Illouz, Yossi Sharabi, Bipin Joshi and Daniel Peretz.
Yossi Sharabi was the brother of Eli Sharabi, author of the new book Hostage. Eli's wife and two daughters were murdered sometime after the brothers were abducted.
Joshi Bipin was the epitome of an innocent bystander who found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Nepal national had come to Israel only a few weeks prior to learn about agriculture in arid climates.
My girls, I hope that this diary provides you with some concrete details of what we all endured since Oct 7, 2023 for over two years.
Moreso, I pray that we are really at peace and that you will not have to fight the same wars as we have. May your generation be the orators of a messianic generation of progress, science, innovation, and peace.
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