January 17, 2025

So a Hamas deal was made. Well. Remember that conversation-starting card game, in which one card asked, “Would you rather be poor, or become rich as long as your arch enemy had double what you had and you needed his permission for everything you did?” That was just a game, but sadly, that’s sort of how I feel right now. We’re getting what we want, but at tremendous cost.

It’s been 15 months. We’ve been praying, and rallying, and writing letters, and making posters, and making donations, and signing petitions, and wearing yellow pins and “Bring Them Home” dog tag necklaces. Our top priority for the past 15 months has been to get the hostages home. It does appear that we’re getting closer, and for that I rejoice.  I can’t wait for these first few to be reunited with their families in just a few days, G-d willing.

On the other hand, this deal is pretty awful, too drawn out, with too many unknowns, and with some absolutely horrific conditions. Releasing hundreds of imprisoned terrorists from Israeli jails is such an overwhelming thought, especially when we remember that last time they did this, they released Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7th Massacre. Who knows what terror awaits our future with this deal? Just as with the card game, our enemy is calling the shots and, plain and simply, our enemy can not be trusted. 

I write this with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. But you know what?  It will soon be Shabbat, and on Shabbat we do not merely rest, we celebrate. For 25 hours, I invite you to join me in doing just that. Let us focus on the positive, continuing our hope. The next few weeks will be dramatic, and hopefully many hostages will be brought home to their loved ones.  And that’s more than we have seen in the past many months. Let this be the beginning of all we have been praying for and working towards. For now, let it be a peaceful Shabbat, leading to a peaceful future for our People.

Am Yisrael Chai!