Friday Features – October 17, 2025

The soul of the Jewish Nation can finally begin to heal with the once unimaginable return of all living hostages; delivered by the grit and bravery of our Israel Defense Forces – and a modern-day Cyrus The Great. To help you forever bask in this moment, here a number of links to bookmark:

Yedioth Ahronoth (Hebrew): A mega photo and video essay documenting every moment of Monday, October 13 – a day of biblical proportions. Keep scrolling, there are over 1,000 images and videos. If you want to read the text, use your browser’s translate function.
Times of Israel: A shorter compilation of reunion photos and videos.
New York Post: Another compilation of photos and videos.
Times of Israel: A photo essay showing Israelis erupting in joy.
Jerusalem Post: Photos and videos showing reunions in the helicopters and hospital visits.
Fox News: President Trump’s full Knesset speech. It was truly extraordinary – emotional, funny, full of compliments and respectful, with plenty of off-script moments.

Beyond these earth-shattering events, there are many inspiring and fascinating stories you may have missed. Let’s take a look at three:

1. A Lion – Freed Hostage Matan Angrest Embodies The Zionist Spirit

Sources: Yedioth Ahronoth, by Lihi Gordon & Shilo Fried; and It’s Noon in Israel, by Amit Segal

It was a breathtaking moment. A scene that perfectly explains why “The People of Israel Live.”

“I can barely stand,” said Matan Angrest as he eulogized his commander, Capt. Daniel Perez – whose body was returned to Israel one day after Matan was released – at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem, with the President of Israel and Daniel’s family at his side.

The doctors at Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital and Daniel’s parents had tried to stop Matan from going. They had no chance.

Heroes of Oct. 7: Matan fought for hours against Hamas terrorists at the Nahal Oz outpost alongside his tank crewmen Tomer Leibovitz, 19, Itay Chen, 19, and Daniel, 22, their commander. Matan was kidnapped alive into Gaza, while Daniel and Itay’s bodies were taken into the strip. Itay’s body is yet to return home.
Their commander: “This is the least I can do for Daniel and for my entire team – true heroes,” Matan said. “I didn’t plan to speak. I didn’t even believe I’d make it here. But I had to come. Daniel led our heroic battle that Saturday, he was a figure to be admired. My commander will always be my commander, until the day I die. You will go with me until my last day and even in the world to come.”
One family: Matan turned to the Perez family, saying: “I promise to be there for this family for life – I’m not leaving you, not for a second. Daniel is with me everywhere I go, just like Itay and Tomer. They are part of me. I’m proud we defended Israel under Daniel’s command. He is my hero.”
The Zionist spirit: According to Amit Segal, “so astonishing and moving was Matan’s spontaneous speech that the moment he finished, the entire crowd broke into applause – something that simply does not happen at IDF funerals.”
A job not yet done: As for Itay, whose body is still in Gaza, Matan declared: “I’m ready to go back into Gaza right now to bring him back.” Earlier in the day, Matan greeting IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir at the hospital, giving the army chief a crisp salute. Gen. Zamir personally presented Matan with a new black beret in recognition of his service in the IDF Armored Corps.

Read the whole story, here and here.

2. Rebirth – Israel’s Hard-Hit Confrontation-Line Communities are Making a Comeback

Just as our freed hostages are on their personal journeys of healing, recovery and rebirth, so too are Israel’s southern and northern communities that were decimated by war. There is much good news to report:

Kibbutz Be’eri launches its first whiskey – from fields of loss to ‘Single Be’eri’: Haim Jelin, a former Knesset member and Be’eri resident, describes the project’s genesis: “Shortly after October 7, the idea sprouted – sow barley in the kibbutz’s bloodied fields to make whiskey, a project born during an evening of shared stories of loss, tears, hope and alcohol.” In collaboration with Tel Aviv’s M&H Distillery, the project is a testament to the community’s determination to rebuild. Jelin: “It was important to me that this tribute be released before we mark two years since the outbreak of the Gaza war, knowing that recovery is possible.” (Yedioth Ahronoth.)
Beersheba’s ‘Golden Age’ – a high-tech metropolis in the making: The Gav Yam High-Tech Center – already home to Microsoft, Dell and Wix – is set to triple its workforce; while a massive new 37-acre IDF tech campus is on the way. The city is preparing for an influx of soldiers and tech professionals, fostering a unique synergy between academia (Ben Gurion University), industry, and the military. Omri Dai, CEO of the high-tech accelerator Tech7: “I think we have a real ecosystem to establish a high-tech metropolis that can serve as an economic anchor for the entire Negev to grow … I think something really special is happening here.” (Times of Israel and pictured above.)
Sderot, a hub of resilience and innovation: Despite the constant threat of rockets, new neighborhoods are rising. The Future For The Otef civic leadership movement is a key part of the Gaza border region’s transformation. CEO Ohad Cohen: “Sderot and the Otef have already doubled in size … Our demand is simple: peace and quiet on our borders.” Their vision is not about walls or fear, but about Tekuma – rehabilitation rooted in civic trust. “We want to build back, not barricade ourselves in,” Cohen explains. U.S. Amb Mike Huckabee recently met with area leaders. (Jerusalem Post.)
Rebuilding Northern Israel: From Metula to Shtula: In Metula, residents are returning to rebuild their homes and their lives. Avi Nadiv, deputy head of the Metula council, whose home was destroyed by a missile, is rebuilding in the same spot. “We’re going back to that room, without fear,” he says. The security situation has changed dramatically, with the IDF now deployed in front of the communities. Nadiv adds, “We no longer see anyone near the border, not even shepherds in disguise. Whoever comes close will pay with his life. That’s how it must continue … A bullet between the eyes.” Nearby, the Avivim Winery, destroyed by a missile, is rebuilding in the same spot. (Yedioth Ahronoth.)

3. Wait … He's Jewish? Meet Three Unconventional Jews

Jews of a certain age will remember the fascination with baseball Hall of Famer Rod Carew being Jewish. He actually never converted – but he married a Jew, raised his children Jewish, and wore a necklace chai as he won batting title after battling title. Here are three “official” Jews with unlikely backgrounds:

From Rose Bowl to Rashi – Yosef (Calvin) Murray: The former Ohio State and Philadelphia Eagles running back’s 10-year journey, with his wife Emunah, from evangelical Christianity to Orthodox Judaism was a “marathon, not a race.” “The discipline I acquired from my football career gave me the discipline to take on the myriad of mitzvot that govern a Jew’s daily life. The constant study, practice, and repetitive actions all laid the foundation for the conversion process and for leading a meaningful Jewish life … I’ve scored touchdowns on the football field and the biggest touchdown spiritually.” (Aish, Breslev Magazine, and pictured above.)
The Cowboy Cantor – Joe Buchanan: For the Texas country singer, everything changed 13 years into his marriage when his wife revealed she was Jewish after a powerful visit to the Holocaust Museum. Their journey led them to a Houston rabbi whose message changed Buchanan’s life: “There is one God, and even if you don’t believe in Him – there’s nothing wrong with you. God loves you exactly as you are.” Buchanan decided to convert, a choice that wasn’t universally accepted. “My immediate family stopped talking to me completely,” he recalls. Now, he tours the country performing Jewish country music, connecting prayer with classic country sounds, and believes, “Every verse in the Torah is actually a song waiting for someone to compose it.” (Israel Hayom.)
Footballs and Matzah Balls – AJ Dillon: Philadelphia Eagles running back AJ Dillon is breaking barriers as a Black-Jewish NFL player. At 6’0″ and 247 pounds, Dillon is a powerful presence on the field, but he is equally proud of his heritage off the field. With a Jewish mother, he grew up attending Hebrew school and celebrating Jewish holidays. Dillon openly discusses being a Jew of color to show that “Jewish people come from all kinds of backgrounds.” He stays connected to his roots even with a demanding NFL schedule, once joining his family’s Passover seder via FaceTime. (Jewish Boston.)