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Jared Kushner expressed immense pride in Israel's resilience, stating, "I couldn't be more proud to see the way that the state of Israel and its people have carried themselves through this traumatic, unthinkable, horrific experience. Instead of replicating the barbarism of the enemy, you chose to be exceptional."

The Hebrew Bible's stories, like the flood, may have been regional events that were interpreted as global due to their impact on local populations.

Jared Kushner credits the Israeli people for mobilizing in an unprecedented way, with 45-year-old men leaving their families and businesses to fight in Gaza. This highlights the personal sacrifices made during the conflict.

A long time ago, I had a close friend who did a whole series of interviews with the families of suicide bombers. And this was 20 years ago, maybe. It was after the second Intifada. Because, like I said, I started in Middle East stuff. This was before 9-11, Megan. This was what, if you're going to Middle East studies, by far the biggest area of focus, right? On college campuses, et cetera. And these families of suicide bombers who had, they lost their son overwhelmingly. Occasionally, you'll have a female suicide bomber, but they lost their sons. And they were happy when they talked about it. And they said that he's a martyr and that they hope that he killed as many Israelis as possible. Disgusting and evil stuff.

Notice those two contrasting messages at the very end. One says, Israel loves war, and one is release our hostages. Like the moral imbalance there is pretty amazing.

The unbridled joy felt by Israelis at the return of the hostages is overwhelming. It's not just Israelis; Jews everywhere and many good-hearted people, including the President of the United States, share in this joy.

Judaism teaches that being 'chosen' doesn't imply superiority; it's about fulfilling specific commandments, similar to assigning tasks within a family.

Mr. President, you stand before the people of Israel not as another American president, but as a giant of Jewish history, one for whom we must look back two and a half millennia into the mists of time to find a parallel, Cyrus the Great. You, President Donald J. Trump, are a colossus who will be enshrined in the pantheon of history. Thousands of years from now, Mr. President, the Jewish people will remember you. We are a nation that remembers.

The return of each hostage is not only a moment of homecoming and relief, it's a triumph of faith, of courage, and of our shared humanity. We pray, and so many people are working so hard. One of healing as we begin and embark on the next chapter, which God willing, after far too long, will be a lasting and enduring peace.

There's a very different value placed on life by Israelis and Palestinians, which is evident in the exchange of hostages. Israel gets back 48, while Palestinians get 2,000.