This episode with Rabbi Natan reflects on the profound and complicated joy of Israel recovering the last hostage, Ran Gvili, and what that moment revealed about Israeli society. Through Ran’s life, his parents’ words, and the extraordinary efforts to bring him home, we explore the IDF as a people’s army and the ethos of lo mafkirim chayalim ba’shetach—we do not leave soldiers behind. The episode weaves together scenes of grief, unity, and defiant hope, from soldiers singing in Gaza to families and a nation holding vigil. It connects this moment to a decade-long moral commitment to hostages, including the legacy of Hersh, who advocated for others long before becoming one himself. Ultimately, it is a meditation on peoplehood, responsibility, and what it means for a nation—and a people—to finally breathe again.

Rabbi Natan reflects on Sinai's synagogue journey to Israel undertaken not as tourists, but as members of a people bound by shared history, responsibility, and hope. Through encounters in the south, the north, and Jerusalem, we witnessed resilience, complexity and connection, and the quiet ways Israelis continue to build a future amid uncertainty. Along the way, we were reminded that Jewish peoplehood is not rooted in agreement or distance, but in presence and relationship. What we carry home is not answers, but a deeper commitment to one another and to Israel.

This episode of Seeking Sinai explores the extraordinary story of Stan Andrews, a young American who left home in 1948 to fight for Israel’s survival and helped lay the foundations of the Israeli Air Force. Rabbi Natan Trief speaks with author Jeffrey Weiss, whose new book Fighting Back uncovers Andrews’s forgotten legacy and the generation of volunteers who saw Israel’s struggle as their own. Together, they reflect on what Andrews’s courage teaches us about Jewish peoplehood, solidarity, and Zionism in the wake of October 7th. The conversation invites listeners to consider what it means to “fight back” today — not only with weapons, but with unity, pride, and faith.