Podcast Summary: "In These Times with Rabbi Ammi Hirsch"
Guest: Liz Hirsh Naftali
Episode Date: February 12, 2026
Overview
This deeply emotional episode focuses on the story of Abigail Moore Idan, a young Israeli girl taken hostage by Hamas during the October 7th attacks, and the broader implications for Jewish identity, trauma, and international responses to the crisis. Rabbi Ammi Hirsch interviews Abigail's great-aunt, Liz Hirsh Naftali, whose book chronicles the ordeal and her relentless advocacy for Abigail and other hostages. Together, they explore issues of trauma, rescue efforts, political failures, and the ongoing impact on survivors and their families, while also discussing the larger meaning for Israel, the Jewish people, bipartisan support in the U.S., and the role of empathy in recovery.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Abigail’s Ordeal and Rescue
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[01:41] How is Abigail now?
- Liz describes Abigail as a remarkable girl who is managing well in her new life, yet she continues to carry immense trauma.
- Quote:
“She can dance, she can sing. She’s really a delightful, beautiful child...But we just know what she’s carrying in her, which is very heavy.”
— Liz Hirsh Naftali, [01:41]
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[03:27] The horror of October 7th:
- Liz recounts the day Abigail, then three, witnessed her mother’s murder, and was covered by her father’s body after he was killed while trying to rescue his children.
- Notable visual: Abigail and two siblings (ages 3, 6, 9) survive the initial attack in Kfar Aza.
- Michael and Amalia, the older siblings, hide in a closet for 14 hours, communicating with a social worker while Abigail is missing.
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[08:16] The moment of hope:
- It took several days for the family to realize she was missing, not dead, and might be a hostage in Gaza.
- “There was the opportunity... that maybe she was alive and maybe she was taken hostage.”
— Rabbi Ammi Hirsch, [08:16]
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[09:43] Crossing into Gaza and captivity:
- The hostages, including Abigail, were paraded as trophies.
- “The terrorists were trying to show off that they had actually captured this child... as a win. And that for me, was just crushing.”
— Liz Hirsh Naftali, [09:43]
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[11:37] Hostage conditions:
- They were kept in homes, not underground. Conditions included deprivation, near silence, poor hygiene, and constant fear with bombings overhead for 51 days.
2. Systemic Failures and the Call for Investigation
- [14:14] Intelligence and rescue lapses:
- Liz expresses anger and frustration that no one came to defend her family and that intelligence warnings were missed.
- Quote:
“We need this investigation that is not political and is not biased, but is one to understand so this never happens again.”
— Liz Hirsh Naftali, [15:27]
3. Government Responses: Israel vs. U.S.
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[16:11] Why was there no investigation or deal sooner?
- She criticizes Israeli leadership for reluctance to self-examine and for prioritizing military goals over the hostages.
- She notes that significant hostage releases only happened due to U.S. (Biden and later Trump) and Qatari pressure.
- Quote:
“It was never because of Prime Minister Netanyahu deciding that that was his priority...”
— Liz Hirsh Naftali, [17:06]
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[20:46] U.S. government showed more empathy:
- Liz describes American officials—Democrats and Republicans—as deeply engaged and compassionate, unlike the distant Israeli officials:
“Nobody ever reached out to us from the Israeli Knesset, from the Netanyahu team and said, how can we help you? How is Abigail? Nobody. But I do know that President Biden... called myself and my brother in law as the car that she was in... crossed into Israeli territory.”
— Liz Hirsh Naftali, [21:55]
- Liz describes American officials—Democrats and Republicans—as deeply engaged and compassionate, unlike the distant Israeli officials:
4. The Day of Release and Aftermath
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[23:33] The release:
- The family received notice Abigail’s name was on the list for release after several agonizing days.
- Even after official confirmation, Liz only believed it when she saw Abigail reunited with family on live television.
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[26:21] Meeting President Biden:
- In April 2024, the new family, including Abigail and her siblings, met President Biden, who demonstrated personal empathy and understanding of their trauma.
- Quote:
“But it should be that idea of children are free, children are protected, children are loved, and children are cared for.”
— Liz Hirsh Naftali, [28:23]
5. Trauma Recovery for Abigail and her Siblings
- [29:23] Michael and Amalia:
- Both children are adapting, finding joy and passion, but their experiences remain underneath.
- Liz movingly describes watching Michael play soccer, recognizing the weight of his survival beneath such ordinary moments.
6. Politics, Partisanship, and Advocacy
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[31:40] Reactions from progressives and lessons on advocacy:
- Liz recounts a disappointing meeting with a progressive Congresswoman who tweeted “from the river to the sea,” symbolizing a lack of genuine empathy.
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[34:10] On keeping bipartisan support for Israel:
- Liz speaks on the importance of sustaining bipartisan U.S. support for Israel and pushes back against those who question Israel’s legitimacy.
- Quote:
“I’m tired of being in a place where I have to defend that Israel has a right to exist.”
— Liz Hirsh Naftali, [34:10]
7. Reflections on Human Nature, Resilience, and Hope
- [37:12] Lessons about human nature:
- Liz was transformed from a giver to someone in need, which reframed her ideas about help and community.
- She highlights that solidarity among Jewish people and their allies was critical—“we won because we stayed together and we brought back Abigail and these hostages.”
— Liz Hirsh Naftali, [38:17]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On enduring trauma and resilience:
“If you saw her tomorrow and you saw her playing with her friends, you’d say she’s a beautiful little girl. And she is a beautiful little girl. We just know what she’s carrying in her, which is very heavy.”
— Liz Hirsh Naftali, [01:41] -
On the responsibility of telling the story:
“I wanted to make sure that we were telling the truth of what happened to Abigail and so many on October 7th... just to keep the stories going and your emotions.”
— Liz Hirsh Naftali, [03:27] -
On political failures:
“I don’t think that the people in leadership are really willing to have a deep, honest look at their failures on October 7th...”
— Liz Hirsh Naftali, [16:11] -
On hope and disappointment:
“And I looked at President Biden and I looked at Prime Minister Netanyahu, and I said, what are you going to do? And President Biden said, I’m going to do everything for the rapid release of all the hostages. You have my commitment. And I looked at Prime Minister Netanyahu and he said the same as the President. And I said, okay, well then why aren’t we getting them done?”
— Liz Hirsh Naftali, [18:39] -
On American Jewish advocacy:
“I am going to keep talking to both sides and I do this work, which is how do we talk about the beauty of the nation of Israel and the importance of this nation that’s not going anywhere and that is just going to keep getting stronger.”
— Liz Hirsh Naftali, [36:54]
Important Segment Timestamps
- 00:00–01:41: Introduction to Abigail’s story and Liz Hirsh Naftali
- 03:27–08:38: Detailed account of October 7th and initial aftermath
- 09:15–13:06: Description of hostage taking and conditions in captivity
- 14:14–16:11: Call for investigation into Israeli failures
- 17:06–21:55: Differences between Israeli and American official responses
- 23:33–26:21: The day of Abigail’s release and meeting President Biden
- 29:23–31:14: Updates on Michael and Amalia
- 31:40–36:54: Political perspectives, advocacy, and concerns about Israel’s bipartisan support
- 37:12–39:17: Lessons about human nature and community resilience
Tone and Takeaways
Throughout, the tone is intensely personal, honest, and impassioned. Liz Hirsh Naftali shares harrowing family trauma, resolves forged in the fire of tragedy, anger at leadership failures, and gratitude for communal and bipartisan efforts that ultimately rescued hostages. The conversation interweaves concrete narratives of survival with larger reflections on justice, leadership, the meaning of Israel in Jewish history, and the universal need for empathy in healing.
Final Thought
In the words of Liz Hirsh Naftali, the recovery and future of survivors like Abigail depends on solidarity, empathy, and ongoing commitment to justice and humanity:
“We've got to do better for children. We've got to do better for all of our children.”
— Liz Hirsh Naftali, [28:23]
This episode is an unflinching reminder of how individual stories reflect and shape broader ethical, political, and communal realities. It is essential listening for anyone seeking to understand the personal and collective aftermath of one of the most traumatic events in recent Jewish and Israeli history.