Reform Movement Statement on the Release of the Remaining Israeli Hostages

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם מַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים:  

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who frees the captives.

October 13, 2025 – After reciting this prayer daily for more than 738 days, our brothers and sisters who were held in unimaginable conditions by Hamas are now free and have reunited with the loved ones who prayed and fought without ceasing for this day. We share the tears, joy, and profound relief felt by Jews in North America, in Israel, and around the world. With gratitude to all who labored and negotiated their freedom, for all who took to the streets day after day in Israel and around the world, we give thanks for this long-awaited redemption of captives, a supreme mitzvah in our tradition.  

While there must be accountability for those in leadership if we are to prevent this nightmare from reoccurring, for today, we will put aside the gnawing question of why this day did not come sooner.

We are grateful to President Trump and his administration for bringing together this complex plan to end the war, the first part of which we experienced today. We express our appreciation as well to Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who exerted pressure on Hamas to accept this agreement, which also outlines a viable plan for the “day after” in Gaza.  

We are in awe of the hostage families who, morning, noon and night, fought for the release of their loved ones and of the Israeli patriots who took to the streets demanding courageous action from their leaders.  

We love our Israeli Reform Movement that has never stopped advocating and fighting for the hostages, including leading an inspiring Havdalah in Hostage Square every single Saturday night.

We pray that the innocent Palestinian civilians who have suffered mightily from Hamas’ brutality and the crossfire of this deadly war will finally experience safety, consistent flow of vitally needed humanitarian aid, civilian leadership committed to finding a path to peace. 

The path to peace is still long and still to be traveled.  We pray that courageous leaders will press forward on the path to a Palestinian State as outlined in the American plan. However remote it may feel, a two-state solution in some configuration must remain the worthy, long-term goal for Israelis and Palestinians as they contemplate a future with safety, dignity, and hope for all. 

Healing the bodies and spirits of the former hostages, their families, the people of Israel, and the innocent Gazans caught in the conflict will take time, resources, and love. We hold in our hearts the memory of those who did not return, and we embrace the bereaved in their grief. Let this day strengthen our resolve to secure Israel’s safety while advancing a future rooted in dignity, pluralism, and peace for all who live in the land. Today, we exhale the prayer we have carried for so long – shehecheyanu – we thank the “Redeemer of Israel” for allowing us to reach this holy moment and we commit to turning relief into renewal.

As we move into Simchat Torah, on the eve of the Hebrew two-year anniversary of that terrible tragedy, we will be able to rejoice with those who have returned and keep praying and hoping until the last hostage is home.  

Union for Reform Judaism    
Shelley Niceley Groff (she/her)     
North American Board Chair  

Rabbi Rick Jacobs (he/him)     
President  

Central Conference of American Rabbis     
Rabbi David A. Lyon (he/him)     
President

Rabbi Hara Person (she/her)     
Chief Executive Officer    

American Conference of Cantors     
Cantor Josh Breitzer (he/him)     
President

Rachel Roth (she/her)     
Chief Operating Officer