Or Moshe was a member of the 2022 Mishlachat delegation at Ramah Darom. When Israel was attacked on October 7, 2023, Or knew she had to do something to help. Or joined the International Department at the Hostage and Missing Families Forum to take part in the essential work of bringing all of the hostages home. Read on to hear directly from Or about her experiences working for the Forum.
How was your Ramah Darom experience? What summer did you spend at camp, and what was your role?
I was part of the Israeli Mishlachat in 2022 and spent both sessions as a Madricha Hevratit (counselor) for the Halutzim girls. My experience at Ramah was nothing short of incredible. From the moment I arrived, I felt embraced by a community that was warm, spirited, and deeply connected to Israel and Jewish life. I loved every second of that summer, and I still miss it every day. Working with my girls was a true privilege. They were funny, curious, and full of energy, and watching them grow throughout the summer was one of the most rewarding parts of my role. I also built real friendships with my fellow counsellors, both Israeli and American, creating a sense of family that stayed with me long after the summer ended. I’ve wished many times that I could return to camp, and I still hope I will one day. Ramah Darom gave me a sense of purpose, belonging, and joy that I will always carry with me. It was genuinely one of the best and most meaningful summers of my life.
Is there anything you learned from your time at Ramah Darom about the relationship between Israel and the American Jewish community?
I think I always understood it, but my summer at Ramah truly deepened my appreciation for how special, deep, and essential the relationship between Israel and the American Jewish community is. It was incredibly powerful to witness how genuinely loved, celebrated, and protected Israel is within the Ramah community. The pride the campers and staff expressed, the curiosity they had about life in Israel, and the joy they found in Israeli culture were all inspiring. It reminded me that Israel’s strength has never come only from within. It has always been supported by the commitment, advocacy, and emotional connection of Jews around the world. Over the past two years, through my work, I’ve seen firsthand how vital these “ambassadors” in the diaspora truly are. Many of them grew up in spaces like Ramah. Their support, their voices, and their sense of responsibility toward Israel genuinely make a difference. It reaffirmed just how intertwined our communities are and how important it is to nurture and protect that bond.
Can you share a little bit about your work with the Hostages and Missing Families Forum?
I joined the Hostages Families Forum at the end of October 2023 as part of the International Department. For the past two years, I have worked closely with the families and captivity survivors on every aspect of their global advocacy efforts. This meant coordinating international media outreach that ultimately resulted in more than 10,000 interviews, organizing and escorting delegations abroad, mostly to Washington, DC and New York, and personally joining 11 of them, and helping lead a wide range of events, rallies, meetings, and awareness campaigns around the world. Beyond the fieldwork, I was also responsible for helping to manage the Forum’s media channels, writing press releases and statements, arranging press conferences, and accompanying journalists on media tours. Much of the work required being available at all hours, adapting to fast-moving developments, and supporting families through the most painful and uncertain moments of their lives. It has been the most meaningful and transformative work I have ever done. Walking alongside these families and survivors, and helping amplify their voices, is something I will carry with me forever.
What inspired you to get so involved with the organization?
After October 7th, like many others, I felt completely helpless. I wanted to do something, anything. I couldn’t bear the thought of sitting at home while our country was in crisis. Three days after October 7th, I was already down south in the Gaza Envelope working with international media as part of my reserve duty. After two weeks in reserve, I joined the Forum because I knew that nothing could be more important than helping bring our people home and supporting the families in their fight. What kept me going, and still does, are two things. First, the families themselves. They are extraordinary people, true heroes, and it has been a privilege to walk alongside them through this unimaginable journey. Second, the realization that this mission is not only emotional but deeply historic. The struggle to bring the hostages home became one of the defining battles of our generation, and I am truly honoured that I had the chance to be part of it.
What is one of the most meaningful experiences you’ve had during your time working at the forum?
The most meaningful moment for me was when the last deal was announced. I was in Washington, DC, for the second anniversary of October 7th. We were there for a major event at the “Sukkah of Hope” at the Kennedy Centre, together with many hostage family members and several captivity survivors. Around noon EST, we began hearing rumors that something was moving, so we cautiously started preparing. The professional team gathered to discuss what needed to happen if a deal was actually announced. By around 5pm EST, we realized it was truly happening. At that exact moment, the families were doing a yoga session in memory of Carmel Gat z”l, so only the staff remained outside. The plan was to ease the families into the news, since they did not have their phones with them. But everything changed in one second. President Trump posted his announcement on social media, and one of the family members happened to see it. She screamed, and we all froze for a moment. Then we read the message aloud, and suddenly everyone was crying, hugging, shouting with joy. It was overwhelming. Thankfully, we had a photographer with us who captured those first emotional moments. From there, everything moved very quickly. We filmed a short video to send immediately to the White House, and then we all rushed to the Forum’s DC house to be together for whatever came next. Not long after, a government minister and his wife arrived unannounced to celebrate with the families. He called the president on speakerphone right there in the living room, and we all listened as the president told the families that the deal was real and that their loved ones would be coming home on Monday. It was one of the most unforgettable moments of my life.
Where were you on the day that the last 20 living hostages were released, and what was your experience like on that day?
I was at Hostages Square from 6am that morning. It was unbelievable to see how full the square already was, despite the early hour. Many people had clearly been there since the night before. I had gone home around 1am and returned just a few hours later. Honestly, the square had been full every single day since the deal was announced a few days earlier. People had been holding their breath for so long that they felt they needed to be there for this moment. The atmosphere was electric. It was powerful in a way that is almost impossible to put into words. We were all standing together, tens of thousands of people who had been fighting shoulder to shoulder throughout the past two years. My entire team was there with me, coworkers, volunteers, families of previously released hostages, and even some of the survivors themselves. Huge screens were placed across the square, and the entire crowd watched the live broadcast together. It was chilling. When the first updates came in, we screamed, cried, laughed, and held onto one another. At one point, the helicopters carrying the hostages circled above the square, and the entire crowd erupted in applause. It was one of those moments that felt historic, almost unreal. We stayed there for hours, watching the reunion photos and videos as they came in, absorbing every detail with enormous relief. It felt like the entire country was finally breathing again.
We’re praying that the remaining two deceased hostages are returned to Israel immediately. With all of the living hostages and almost all of the deceased hostages now back in Israel, what does the work of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum look like moving forward?
Right now, our focus is entirely on the two remaining hostages still in Gaza, one Israeli and one Thai citizen. The Forum continues to advocate for their immediate return, while also providing ongoing support to all the families whose loved ones have already come home, both the survivors and the families of those who were murdered. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum will remain active until the end of December, and we truly hope that by then every hostage will be back home. My own last day at the Forum is December 17, but the mission continues with full force until the very last moment. In parallel, we are working on documenting and archiving everything that happened over these two historic years – the advocacy efforts, the delegations, the media work, the testimonies, and the collective story of this unprecedented civil movement. Preserving this record is essential, both for the families and for the country, so that the magnitude of what was done is never forgotten.