WHAT’S DRIVING THE AMERICAN JEWISH CONVERSATION

Good morning. Israel is preparing to receive the first wave of hostages being released under a deal with Hamas, after the IDF said a late bombardment on Thursday killed Hamas’ naval commander. Separately, protesters disrupted the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. (And: Some of you may have received this email twice — apologies!)

ISRAEL AT WAR

Israeli forces and ambulances waited outside Tel Aviv's Schneider Medical Centre on Friday amid preparations for the release of 13 Israeli hostages held in Gaza. (FADEL SENNA/AFP via Getty Images)

The latest…

The 13 hostages scheduled to be released to Israel today have been received by the Red Cross. In Israel, they will be taken to hospitals to undergo medical examinations and be reunited with their families.

The planned four-day truce between Israel and Hamas appeared to be holding Friday afternoon, as Israel released 24 Palestinian women and 15 minors to the Red Cross. The Palestinian prisoners will be returned to their homes after Israel receives and confirms the identities of the 13 hostages.

The deal, mediated by Qatar with the extensive involvement of President Joe Biden’s administration, involves the release of 50 of the roughly 240 hostages held in Gaza, and 150 Palestinian prisoners currently held in Israel. Hamas has the option to extend it by releasing an additional 10 hostages a day after the initial truce expires. But truces between Israel and Hamas have a shaky record; both parties have in the past violated their terms.

Twelve Thai hostages were released in a separate deal brokered by Egypt.

The Israel Defense Forces said a Thursday strike killed the Hamas operative in charge of the group’s naval operations, as Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant cautioned that war is expected to continue “with intensity” for at least two more months. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reports that more than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza during the war.

A group of about 30 pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested after they appeared to glue themselves to the street in the middle of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Stuart Seldowitz, a former State Department official, was arrested and charged with a hate crime after videos of him appearing to harass a halal cart vendor in New York City went viral.

Hadas Kalderon. (Jacob Kornbluh)

‘A warm hug from grandma’: In Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, families contemplate the expected release of 50 hostages. “Have you ever seen hell?” Hadas Kalderon, the mother of two hostages held in Gaza, asked a reporter on Wednesday evening: “I’m there.” As the families of hostages waited for more news of the deal with Hamas, our senior political reporter Jacob Kornbluh found that the mood had subtly shifted in the so-called “Hostage Square,” an area in Tel Aviv near the IDF headquarters that has become home base for protesters demanding the Israeli government secure the hostages’ release. “There is some light in the dark,” Kalderon said. “When I see them and hug them, hold them and kiss them, that’s when I can tell you that I am happy.” Read the story ➤

In Israeli jewelry, a profound meditation on life in a militarized society. Manhattan’s 92Y, a vaunted Upper East Side cultural center, became the focus of uproar in recent weeks after canceling a celebrated author’s planned talk over his expressed support for Gazan Palestinians. That hubbub cast a pall over an Israeli jewelry show at the center, writes our editorial fellow Sam Lin-Sommer, but the display itself “offers striking, vulnerable commentary on life in a militarized society.” Read the story ➤

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WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY

(iStock by Getty Images)

🙄 An Iowa school district apologized after using a quote from the Nazi SS over a middle school’s public address system and in an email to families. The school system said the employee who chose to broadcast the quote “my honor is my loyalty,” which the SS used as an expression of loyalty to Hitler, as the “Respect Quote of the Day” was unaware of its source. (USA Today)

😯 A Dutch populist known for his anti-Islam rhetoric is likely to be the Netherlands’ next prime minister. Geert Wilders, who has run competitions for caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed among other actions seen as Islamophobic, is known by some as “the Dutch Trump.” (Times of Israel)

👀 Germany cracked down on suspected supporters of Hamas and people accused of antisemitic hate speech. Hundreds of police officers raided the homes of suspected Hamas members and followers in the country on Thursday morning, and a set of Tuesday raids targeted 17 people accused of online antisemitism. (Associated Press)

⛪ Jewish groups criticized Pope Francis over comments that appeared to accuse both Israel and Hamas of “terrorism.” The Pope’s Wednesday remarks on the Israel-Hamas war put “the aggressor and the attacked on the same plane in the name of a supposed impartiality,” the Council of the Assembly of Italian Rabbis wrote. (Reuters)

😒 The Soros Foundation accused Hungary’s government of antisemitism over billboards depicting European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen alongside George Soros’ son, Alexander, with the caption, “Let's not dance to their tunes.” (Reuters)

What else we’re reading ➤ “College administrations are failing their Palestinian and Jewish students” … “This is not my Canada anymore. We’re experiencing an unprecedented assault on the Jewish community” … “This 1950s actress paved the way for unapologetically Jewish movie stars.”

PHOTO OF THE DAY

(VIRGINIE LEFOUR/Belga/AFP via Getty Images)

A day after some 85 Jewish graves were desecrated at a cemetery in Belgium, a visitor held a Star of David while visiting the site in the city of Charleroi.

Thanks to PJ Grisar, Jodi Rudoren and Talya Zax for contributing to today’s newsletter, and to Beth Harpaz for editing it. You can reach the “Forwarding” team at [email protected].

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