Two weeks have passed since twenty hostages were returned to their families, alive.

It was one of those moments that stopped time. As the images appeared and videos of reunions circulated, most of us, in Israel and around the world, were holding our breath in front of the screen. Jewish people everywhere, living and anticipating as one.

Since then, life has almost returned to its rhythm. But the emotion still lingers, a quiet blend of gratitude, relief, and heartbreak. Because even in a moment of return, not everyone is home.

Thirteen families are still waiting to bury their loved ones. The bodies of civilians and soldiers remain in Gaza. Each day that passes without their return prolongs the pain. We owe them more than silence.

At Voice of the People, we don’t take these moments for granted. Our work is not disconnected from reality, it is built on it. We are made up of council members and fellows living in Israel and across the diaspora, carrying the weight of this past year into every conversation, every working group, every solution we build.

 
Over the past two years, we’ve lost 920 soldiers defending Israel since October 7. Every name is a world. Every sacrifice echoes through the generations.

And yet, we keep building. Not because the pain is behind us, but because the future is still in front of us.

A future where every family gets to mourn with dignity.
A future where every Jew feels seen and safe.
A future shaped by memory, mission, and each other.