News Highlights Return of the Captives

Dear Hebrew College Community,

Hebrew College joins the rest of the Jewish world in expressing deep relief and great joy at the return of all the hostages to their families, friends, and communities. We celebrate the return of the living hostages, knowing that this marks the beginning of a long and difficult healing process for them and everyone who loves them. We also hold in our hearts the friends and families of the deceased hostages, who can now finally give their loved ones a proper burial.

With cautious optimism, we are hopeful that the ceasefire will end innocent suffering and devastation, paving the way for greater peace and rebuilding in the region.

Since October 7th, 2023, nearly every synagogue around the world has been reciting the acheinu prayer, which calls for the release of captives:

אַחֵינוּ כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַנְּתוּנִים בְּצָרָה וּבַשִּׁבְיָה, הָעוֹמְדִים בֵּין בַּיָּם וּבֵין בַּיַּבָּשָׁה, הַמָּקוֹם יְרַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם, וְיוֹצִיאֵם מִצָּרָה לִרְוָחָה, וּמֵאֲפֵלָה לְאוֹרָה, וּמִשִּׁעְבּוּד לִגְאֻלָּה, הַשְׁתָּא בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב

“Our family, the whole house of Israel, who are in distress, or in captivity—who stand either in the sea or on dry land—may the Omnipresent have mercy on them and take them out from narrowness to expanse, and from darkness to light, and from oppression to redemption, now, swiftly, and soon!”

This prayer requests that God move those in captivity from narrowness to expansion and from darkness to light. We are deeply thankful that, after such a long period of darkness, some light has appeared.