Mayim Bialik Instagram – The holiday of Passover which we are in the middle of focuses on liberation and freedom. Many Jewish homes around the world left a place at their table to symbolize the 129 hostages still being held for over 200 days by Hamas terrorists. Passover also brought news that as of last week, Hersh Goldberg-Polin was alive. We featured his mother Rachel here almost 6 months ago and while the fate of the hostages remains precarious, my heart is with Hersh’s family and the families of all of the hostages. Here’s Rachel and her husband’s statement about what it felt like to see her son and hear his voice after over 200 days of not knowing if he was alive. “Seeing the video of Hersh today is overwhelming. We are relieved to see him alive but we are also concerned about his health and wellbeing as well as that of all the other hostages and all of those suffering in this region. We are here today with a plea to all of the leaders of the parties who have been negotiating to date. This includes Qatar, Egypt, the United States, Hamas and Israel: be brave, lean in, seize this moment and get a deal done to reunite all of us with our loved ones and end the suffering in this region. Hersh, we heard your voice today for the first time in 201 days and if you can hear us, we are telling you, we love you, stay strong, survive.” #BringThemHomeNow #bring_hersh_home @bring.hersh.home