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Dear Maharat Rori,
From the moment we witnessed the horrific terror attacks perpetuated by Hamas against Israel on October 7th, our community has been praying, rallying, marching, demanding, and hoping for the safe return of those taken captive and held against their will in Gaza. Late last night, news broke that the Israeli government approved an agreement brokered by the United States, with assistance from Qatar and Egypt, for the release of 50 of the hostages abducted by Hamas, with the possibility of others being released in the days to follow. Below, we have compiled the most recent news articles and further information for you to learn more.
There is no more sacred work, according to the Sages of the Jewish tradition, than redeeming those held captive (Talmud Bavli, Bava Batra 8b, Shulchan Arukh, Yoreh De'ah 252:3). We are thankful that some of the innocent hostages, many of them women and children, will be returning home to their families this week. And we continue to hope, to demand, to march, to rally, and to pray for the safe and swift return of all those who remain hostages, and we urge all of our leaders to continue to work towards that goal.
As we here in America celebrate our Thanksgiving, amid a time of so much trauma and shared pain, we give thanks for our loved ones who are with us and hold in our hearts our brothers and sisters—those we have met and those we have not yet met—who are suffering, as we recommit ourselves to fighting for a better world for all.
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