An Empty Chair for 251 Hostages: Two Years After October 7

Unpacking Israeli History

Unpacked

Judaism, Religion & Spirituality, Society & Culture, History

4.8 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 13 October 2025

⏱️ 20 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Two years after October 7, 2023, host Noam Weissman reflects on how Israel—and he himself—have been haunted by absence and by loss. Now the last living hostages are home and a ceasefire begins. Noam shares the story of an empty chair at his family’s Shabbat table. The chair began as a symbol of hope for the 251 hostages. It became a mirror of a nation’s grief, endurance, and faith that “a new day will rise.” Please get in touch at noam@unpacked.media. Check us out on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠This podcast was brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand. ------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jewish History Nerds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Soulful Jewish Living⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stars of David with Elon Gold ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wondering Jews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, I'm Noam Weissman and this is Unpacking Israeli History, the podcast that takes a deep dive into some of the most intense, historically fascinating and often misunderstood events and stories linked to Israeli history.
0:13.4	Before we start, check us out on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, search Unpacking Israeli History and you'll see it all there. So just follow or subscribe or do whatever you got to do.
0:22.3	Okay.
0:23.1	Niyala.
0:23.9	Let's do this.
0:27.0	Anomakr-Zim-Bazoth.
0:29.7	Allah Hamat, Medina, you, is Israel.
0:34.1	We, the people of Israel, are prepared and anxious to meet the representatives of our neighbors without any preconditions.
0:45.3	There are people in Israel and elsewhere say it's impossible to make peace between the Arabs and Israel or the Jewish people.
0:55.5	I think they're home.
1:04.6	First, a disclaimer. I'm recording this on Friday afternoon, October 10th, 2025.
1:09.7	As you know, things are changing by the hour. By the time you listen, this situation may have shifted. New headlines, new numbers,
1:11.9	new realities, but this episode, and heck, this podcast isn't about hot takes and covering the news.
1:17.3	You know that. It's about what these past few days, and really these past two years, have felt
1:23.0	like for so many of us. The uncertainty, the hope, the grief, the exhaustion. So even if the facts evolve,
1:30.7	I hope the reflections still hold true. My first instinct in general is not to be the most mystical
1:38.0	or the most superstitious I know they're different things or the most spiritual. It's just not my instinct.
1:45.3	I like many aspects of those things, but it's not my instinct.
1:48.5	Yes, I believe in God, which means making space for the inexplicable.
1:53.0	But honestly, I don't spend much time thinking about that stuff.
1:57.9	Supernatural phenomena are not my bag.
2:00.2	And the afterlife is a lot less interesting to me
	...

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