um Rabbi thanks for being with us uh under these really difficult circumstances uh and of course here at live now we extend our condolences uh to you and your flock and your constituency and your community here of course um but uh the Jewish people are reeling after this weekend it is safe to say we heard these just heart-wrenching comments uh from H Goldberg Poland's parents today uh there in Jerusalem as they laid him to rest when they got his body back um how much domestic pressure right now Rabbi is Benjamin Netanyahu under and how much our tensions boiling in in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on the streets in the wake of this yeah there's no doubt that there is an intense mixture of grief and rage those are really the two words that come to mind there's an outpouring of grief we saw that today at the funeral for first Goldberg Poland in Jerusalem literally thousands of people in person and thousands more throughout the world um via live stream and I think people understand that the longer there is no deal for the release of the hostages uh that literally uh every day that goes by is a risk that not only that will they be killed but they simply may not be able to to live and endure more than 11 months in uh those uh those tunnels so there's a real sense of urgency and there's a frustration that there has been a deal on the table the defense minister the heads of the military intelligence and the various arms of the U intelligence Corps all say this is a deal that should be taken so it's not about you know left versus right at this point there really is a strong feeling that we can't get everything that we want done in Gaza but we have a limited amount of time to get these hostages out 101 of them and they're all part of our family we know their stories we know their families we've been meeting with them I have since the middle of October so there really is a feeling of okay let's just bring them home and all the other pieces the Philadelphia Corridor right on the Egyptian border very important prime minister has been very clear that that matters greatly but what does it mean to win this war most Israelis would tell you we bring those hostages home you know Rabbi when President Biden says BB isn't doing enough to secure the release of the hostages how is that helpful language or or or rhetoric here and are you concerned at all uh that by Framing that question that way um that Biden and the administration are somewhat absolving or diluting hamas's role and responsibility in this first of all there's no doubt that Hamas not only murdered the six hostages but from October 7th they have been in the business of mass murder and of terrorism so there's no there's no doubt about that I would just remind all of us that when uh secretary of state blinc was in Israel a couple of weeks ago and uh said that Mr Nel had agreed with the terms of the deal and therefore the pressure rested upon Kamas that was the conclusion that's what they left saying so I think this idea that it's Biden who's putting pressure on this you know I would tell you right now Israeli public is out in the streets hundreds of thousands of them uh last night today uh there is a ground well a feeling among the Israeli population that the Prime Minister must come to this conclusion and uh you can't get everything that you might want or feel you deserve in this deal uh but they feel as if what is on the table is a good enough deal so I don't think it's really Biden I think it's the Israeli public that's loudest and most compelling on this you know um how does the war now change though I I mean you can make the argument that some of the kind of Gaza War operation are largely concluded or have resolved somewhat here um and then of course President Biden and vice president Harris had quite forceful statements over the weekend um where do the actions follow those strong words going forward here what do you think happens next with the battle space specifically are we going to see actions or is it just words well let's just remind ourselves the you know the battlefield isn't simply Gaza in fact of Israel's worries on its very borders Kamas is obviously serious we've had a you know a bloody 11 months but Hezbollah on the North has far more weaponry and has been kind of toying with using it that is a serious uh weapon obviously Iran is behind all with the houthis so this is a complex military environment with the proxies all around but the question is and and when needed the aircraft carrier group have come in and the fear was that there would be retaliation for the assassinations of the senior Kamas andah leaders so I think the US military has been in consultation they brought they brought uh Assets in so I don't think there's been a weakness of Readiness to stand with Israel um this has just gone on longer than any Israeli War and it's uh it's overwhelming to the reservists the families not only the hostages but those whose uh sons and and husbands and daughters and wives are in the in the reserves so I just think there is a feeling that um that we have to prioritize what are the essential things that need to be done now what could be done later and I think Israelis are coming to that conclusion and the senior military uh minds of Israel are coming to conclusion that's where I would pay the most attention and I think they've been not uniform but pretty close to uniform in their uh assessment and advice I mean how does the Israeli people you know get through yet another moment like this it's almost been 11 months the very fact though uh that these six hostages were alive for those entire 11 months until they weren't it does you know fill one with rage here um you know how do they get through this uh the the psychological warfare Hamas is inflicting right now on on the Israeli people as we near one year since this all transpired how do they get through it well I I I just would point to John Poland and richel Goldberg Poland when they spoke two weeks ago at the Democratic National Convention they weren't sure how they'd be received they walked out and they were embraced with this loving warm welcome uh was really quite extraordinary and in John's remarks he said in the competition of pain there are no winners they've been really clear that the um the suffering of their son and all the isra hostages was foremost on their mind but every speech either of them gave they also included that um the innocent in Gaza are also in their minds and uh and and saw there be relief there as well so they brought a really powerful message including that the hostages are from many countries many different religions this is a universal this is not simply a Jewish or an Israel um factor and HH goldbert Poland as a dual American uh Israeli citizen lived in America till he was seven then his family moved to Jerusalem and that's where he was raised and so much of the ethos his funeral with his buddies from huel y sh this is the soccer team that he loved this was a vibrant and extraordinary young man and um the morning is personal even for those of us very far away Rachel and John have become literally part of our family and the hurt is so deep the president of Israel spoke uh the first eulogy at the funeral today and he said something extraordinary he said he he requested that the family forgive him and the state of Israel for not being able to bring back their Hersh alive it was an extraordinary statement for a um for a leader and he said it very clearly and very much from his heart but the tone of that was really expressing the collective uh weight and you asked the question Andrew how are they carrying you know month after month the weight of uh the the wounded the the those who've lost their lives in this battle the hostages it's just been a weight on every single person in Israel and it is uh it's hard to imagine that they have the Inner Strength but they do this is an extraordinary people and they feel the solidarity with not the whole world because there are some parts of the world that have not been supportive we're well aware but they feel the strength of those who are with Israel those who see clearly who are the ones who are you know bringing the um the terrorism so I think that that's been sustaining but there there's a limit I think and we're approaching the high holidays coming up all the themes of life and death we don't need to be reminded this year but we'll come to the first anniversary of the October 7th massacre in just a matter of weeks right this is a a very very painful anniversary but each day has been a challenge to be sure okay um Rabbi Jacobs we're going to have to leave it at that we do appreciate your time and we'll talk soon thank you