Tag Archives: rachel herman

At 803 days-remembering “500 days in Hell-Bring Them ALL Home” (2/23/25)

As I post, it is 803 days that one remaining hostage has STILL not been returned home to Israel. (7 min video) from Rachel Herman. She continues to make sure we do not forget! [https://www.instagram.com/rachelherman_magay/#] 

Flashback to Sept 23, 2025, 48 hostages remained in captivity for 695 days; about 20 were presumed to be alive nearly two years after the October 7, 2023 attack, when Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups abducted 251 people from Israel.

At this point, more than 140 hostages had been freed or rescued since the start of the conflict. 

As I walked thru Central Park to the 500 Days in Hell Rally, I found an enormous crowd assembled at the band shell where you could feel  the heartache and frustration. (Flickr Slide Show)

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At this point, more than 140 hostages had been freed or rescued since the start of the conflict. Short VIDEO – excerpts of a couple speakers as I walked through the crowd.

.And now, December 17, 2025. What confuses me is people I have known…not strangers … are now so very hostile towards Israel.  Not Jews …they say… but to Israel.

I am at a loss to understand how they can feel these opinions to be OKAY when TODAY we now add the murders at Bondi Beach and Brown University. to the anti-Semitism that has grown around the world. 


This is NOT okay

[Where indicated pictures and video property of Pamela Hall-VSB]

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Links:  [https://www.ajc.org/news/podcast/held-hostage-in-gaza-a-mothers-fight-for-freedom-and-justice]

Held Hostage in Gaza: A Mother’s Fight for Freedom and Justice

.[https://nypost.com/2025/02/23/world-news/israeli-forensics-chief-finds-no-evidence-that-hostage-shiri-bibas-died-in-explosion/]

Slain Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas had ‘no injuries consistent with a bombing’ despite Hamas’ ‘evil’ : “We were met with depths of evil and  Kugel added of examining the bodies.”

Support for Israel & Yom Hazikaron-Times Sq 5/13/24

Saturday, May 13, 2024. Times Square.

The massacre in Israel by HAMAS, on October 7, 2023, was the reason for everyone gathering this day: freeing the hostages and honoring the sacrifices of the IDF who have  gone in to GAZA to recover the hostages and determined to ELIMINATE HAMAS.

This declaration resonated amongst the tears : ISRAEL WILL PREVAIL.

FLICKR Part 1 of 2 of the Yom Hazikaron memorial

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FLICKR Part 2 includes pictures of the candle lighting

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VIDEOS Mort Klein National President of ZOA ( Zionist organization of America) was the Keynote speaker. (excerpted in three parts) Unfortunately a woman in the front of the crowd SCREAMED through so much of his speech that some of it was obliterated by her screaming. Got most of it, though.

Part 1. (2:42) Great intro “We are PROUD Zionists!” As he continued with important historical facts,”There is no occupation” and “Everyone knew Palestinians meant Jews.”

Part 2 (3:09) . “We Must DESTROY Hamas and Hezbollah.” “It is an outrage that Biden is defending and protecting Hamas.”  “The insanity of a CEASEFIRE. There is no ceasefire in wars … You fight until victory” (sorry for messy camera work, lots of activity going for crowd shots)

Part 3 (3:43) “Stop lying about Israel.”  “Start telling the TRUTH about the Hamas-Nazis.” “We will prevail.

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Prof. Alan Dershowitz (didn’t catch his whole speech) but was impressed with what I heard. Part 1 (2:48) ”This is the season to defeat HAMAS. This is the season for total victory”

Part 2 (3:22) he criticized the loss of academia to the marxist left. (like Kathy Boudin , Bernadine Dohrn and Bill Ayers)

.More on Kathy Boudin from her  mournful comrades at Social justice “Truthout”: Kathy survived the Greenwich Village townhouse explosion that took the lives of three of our dear comrades on March 6, 1970, and we were — all of us — on the run in a flash. In the wake of that catastrophe, we worked to build an organization and a network that would take the war to the war-makers, act in solidarity with the Black freedom movement, and survive what we saw as an impending American fascism. That’s a long and winding story in itself.

Eleven years later, Kathy was arrested in Nyack, New York, for the attempted armed robbery of an armored car in which a guard and two police officers were killed. She would go on to spend 22 years in a New York State prison.

AND THEN she was welcomed (and later mourned) by Columbia University’s Center for Justice.Celebrating the life and mourning the loss of our co-founder and co-director Kathy Boudin.”

COLUMBIA University, instead, locks out Jewish Professors

(4:32) Lighting memorial candles video and honoring the IDF:

 

(00:30) Short video clip of prayers as I was leaving.

Later, there was a concert with music and dancing. The video as the crowd shared their tears and joy; pride and determination.Thanks to Ronen Levy for the video (1:58)

UPDATE to DAY 228. On May 17, the bodies of 3 hostages were returned to their families. [https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-recovers-bodies-of-hostages-itzhak-gelerenter-amit-buskila-and-shani-louk-in-gaza/]

BUT, the return of 128 living hostages remains locked down by HAMAS. They will not let them go.

Could you do it. Could any of us? Locked in a dark tunnel. Could you bear it? IMPRISONED by violent terrorists for SEVEN and A HALF MONTHS! This is INHUMAN.

Reposted from @bringhomenow The video of the female observers’ abduction, is a wake-up call to the civilized world. We must condemn those actions and we can not abandon the hostages held captive for 229 days.

This video, captured by the body cameras of Hamas terrorists on October 7th, has been edited and censored to exclude the most disturbing scenes, such as the numerous murdered young men and women at the Nahal Oz base and inside the bomb shelter from which the female observers were taken.  ‘

Where is the RED CROSS. WHERE is the U.N. WHERE is the UNITED STATES? Where are the women of the Me,too movement: Susan Sarandon do you still claim this is a MYTH? SHAME ON ALL OF YOU.

”The Israeli government and the international community can’t waste another moment – we must get back to the negotiation table today!”

On Day 227, Rachel Herman spoke as she has done since October 7th, of the PAIN and anger while waiting for the release of the hostages.
“Let My People F*cking GO NOW!!!”

From the NY Post:

”For Jews in America and around the world, Israel represents a thriving land of survival and opportunity, and not only for my people. Nowhere else in the Middle East are those of all races, religions, sexes and sexual orientations welcome to live in peace and prosperity. Now the dream is dying — thwarted by people who’d like nothing better than to see Israel wiped from the map.

It’s a sad day across the United States and abroad as whiny, privileged college students and thrill-seeking provocateurs, egged on by leftist professors, the “mainstream” news media and numbskull politicians, foment pro-terrorist, anti-Jewish violence.

They prove, once again, that no place is safe for Jews.” [Andrea Peyser]

It’s time to stand up to terrorism, wherever it rears its UGLY head: THE TIME IS NOW.

Do NOT back down and ISRAEL WILL PREVAIL.

[Where indicated, photos and videos property of Pamela Hall-VSB]