skip to main content
6914ad0e7eadb70da72dc783_Sam Lotzoff Submission 1 2025-2026 Image

735 days… the number of days the 20 remaining hostages have wrongfully spent in Gaza after being taken from the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023.  They were finally freed on October 13, 2025, as part of a ceasefire deal brokered by the US.

735 agonizing days of horror that these innocent Israelis were forced  to endure while their families felt every moment of their absence in their hearts.  

While October 13, 2025, marked a major milestone of bringing home our brothers and sisters, it wasn’t a joyous day for all families of hostages, as at least 85 hostages were killed at the hands of Hamas or died in captivity.  A senseless act of hate that shook the Middle East and the entire world, killing just shy of 2,000 Israelis and 69,000 Palestinians.

Where do we go from here?  

The second part of the ceasefire agreement involves Hamas dropping its reign in Gaza, ending the war between the Israelis and Palestinians, and surrounding Arab countries being asked to rebuild Gaza so people can live freely.  Peace in this region is the overall goal, peace that the region hasn’t seen in over 75 years.

All views expressed on content written for The Shofar represent the opinions and thoughts of the individual authors. The author biography represents the author at the time in which they were in BBYO.

Explore More Stories

Group of people celebrating on stage
Rewind
“With All Your Heart:” Thank You, ILTC

A personal reflection on how ILTC challenged me to step outside my comfort zone, become a better listener and leader, and find a deeper connection to the future of the Jewish community.

Profile picture of Firstname Lastname
Lev Shulman Deerfield, Illinois, United States
Group of people celebrating on stage
Connection
Perlman (Spikeball) Summer

Read about my time at Perlman playing Spikeball.

Profile picture of Firstname Lastname
Jesse Vaytsman Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Group of people celebrating on stage
Identity
The Place I Left Behind and the Place That Found Me

From feeling like an outsider in a place I loved to finding belonging with people from around the world, this is the story of how BBYO Summer changed me for the better.

Profile picture of Firstname Lastname
Hannah Birnbaum Johns Creek, Georgia, United States