God brings the isolated home, sets free those held captive with weeping and with song.
(Psalm 68:7; Sanhedrin 22a)
After close to 500 days of the unimaginable darkness of captivity, this long-awaited day leaves us with a confused jumble of feelings.
We rejoice with the hostages who are being released, and we weep with those remaining in the hands of the Hamas monsters.
We rejoice with the hostage families reunited with their loved ones, and we weep with the many left waiting.
We rejoice with the soldiers able to return to their families, homes, and daily lives, and we weep for those who will not.
We rejoice with those whose heroic sacrifices have brought Israel outstanding successes, and we share the frustration of many of them that their mission remains incomplete.
We are infuriated by the trading of monstrous terrorists for innocent hostages, and we are fearful of the evil those monsters seek to unleash.
We are grateful that the new administration worked with the old to bring the necessary pressure to bear on Hamas, but we are incensed that the world has allowed this to go on for so long.
We are grateful to President Trump for moving quickly to bring freedom to many, but we will not forget for even a moment the many who remain.
There should still be hell to pay.