You are listening to an art media podcast.

You know, it's been said before, but it's worth repeating.

Our enemies constantly say that our weakness is that we love life,

and that they're going to use that love of life as opposed to their love of death against us. And today, that felt like

the greatest strength ever that we love life. And that was a kind of defiance. There is something

about emerging with this affirmation of the love of life that it transcends any moment I can

remember in many, many years. These images are images that we didn't even dare to dream about for two years.

And together with this sense of joy of almost ecstasy or at least catharsis of the Israeli society,

for everyone that's been involved with this, or just following the news, in the

diaspora or in Israel, is a deep sense of sadness. Sadness about those who would not return

back home. Sadness as to the brutality and cruelty and violence that we've been exposed to in the

last two years. Sadness of the time lost, these two years of war,

that should have never happened in the first place.

And this sadness will also shape the face of Israel

in the coming decade.

Music It's 2 p.m. on Monday, October 13th here in New York City.

It's 9 p.m. on Monday, October 13th, in Israel.

As Israelis, welcome back, 20 living hostages who have been held by Hamas for 738 days.

This also, God willing, will mark the end of Israel's longest war that started on October 7, 2023.

The hostages reunited with their families as crowds around Israel cheered with overwhelming emotion. In a violation, however, of the ceasefire agreement, Hamas has only released the

remains of four of the deceased hostages rather than all 28 after claiming, quote,

complications in locating the rest in time.

...