This week, as we celebrate the long-awaited return of the 20 living hostages, our joy is tempered by profound sorrow. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia stands in solidarity and in prayer with the families of the hostages whose bodies are being returned to Israel.

We remember:

Inbar Hayman
Guy Illouz
Tamir Nimrodi
Muhammad Al-Atresh
Bipin Joshi
Daniel Peretz
Uriel Baruch
Eitan Levi
Yossi Sharabi

For more than two years, their loved ones have lived through unbearable uncertainty, clinging to hope amid heartbreak. Today, that hope gives way to mourning. We pray that these families may find comfort in the embrace of the people of Israel, and that they can finally lay their loved ones to rest with dignity.

Their memories will forever be a blessing — a reminder of the devastating toll of terror and of the resilience of the Israeli spirit.

We join with Israelis and Jews around the world in both gratitude and grief — united in our prayers for peace, healing, and the safe return of all who remain in captivity. We continue to pray for the speedy return of all remaining hostage bodies.

***

About the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia

Since 1901, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia has served as the hub of the region’s Jewish communities, providing an infrastructure of support for Jewish people and organizations in need. Through grants, emergency funding, restricted gifts, endowments, and our partnership with the Foundation for Jewish Day Schools, we annually invest in caring for those in need, combating antisemitism and global crisis, and securing a vibrant Jewish future. For more information, please visit: jewishphilly.org.