Hostage's Family Celebrates Holiday Together After His Release

The Angerst family is celebrating Rosh Hashanah together this year, a stark contrast to the previous year when their son Matan was held captive by Hamas in Gaza. Last year, the family could not plan holiday meals or even know where they would spend the holiday, as Matan, a soldier at the time of his abduction on October 7, was their sole focus.

This year, Matan has returned from a trip to South America specifically to join his family for the holiday meal. He described the past year as filled with immense pain and difficulty, but he held onto hope for his return. "The head is only now processing, when I hear the preparations for the holiday, that this is really happening tonight," Matan said. "Blessed is God I am here after a year, celebrating Rosh Hashanah for the first time with all my loved ones. Free, happy. This is essentially our victory, and my personal one."

His mother, Anat, expressed her excitement about having Matan home for the first time since October 7, noting that many relatives want to come celebrate. She also reflected on the difficult period, stating that they learned to protect their mental state and not be disappointed by the constant rumors of deals. The family also faced the complex dilemma of supporting partial hostage deals while fearing their son might be left behind.

Anat shared that she is now beginning to process the ordeal, realizing their personal story is part of a larger national narrative. While overjoyed by Matan's return, the family also mourns those who were not brought back, were murdered, or were left behind. "We are always living with the sadness for those who did not get to return," Anat said, adding that they have learned to experience joy and sadness simultaneously.

Matan's return was a moment of immense relief for his mother, who sought reassurance in his first words to her, "Mom, it's me, Matan." She knew then that he had returned as the same resilient child, perhaps even stronger. Matan explained his decision to travel before returning for the holidays, emphasizing the importance of being present for the entire holiday period with his family. He wishes for continued recovery, closeness to family, and reconnecting with friends in the new year. Anat hopes for societal change, urging an investigation into the events of October 7 to prevent future tragedies and wishing for the Israeli society to embody the values of unity and mutual responsibility he witnessed in soldiers.