By Juda Honickman
I’m writing this from the hills of Judea and Samaria—not from a studio in Tel Aviv, not from a coffee shop in Brooklyn, but from the biblical heartland of our people. From the land where our forefathers walked, where David fought Goliath, and where our future is being written—in real time.
Like every Jew in this country, I’m praying for the return of our hostages. We all are. And as we approach Pesach, the Festival of Freedom, their absence is felt even more deeply. This year, the words “Next year in Jerusalem” and “We were slaves, now we are free” don’t just echo ancient history—they feel painfully current.
Because once again, Jews are being held in captivity. Once again, we cry out to G-d for redemption. And once again, we are reminded that freedom doesn’t come easily. It never has.
In this moment, we need strong leadership.
And while some people sit around arguing over politics, I’m going to say something simple and true: You don’t have to like Bibi Netanyahu. You don’t have to like Donald Trump. But you better thank G-d we have leaders like them right now. They’re not perfect—no one is. But they are standing between us and chaos. Between our families and the terrorists who want us gone. Between freedom and another October 7th, in Israel or anywhere else.
The world is more divided than ever. Everyone has a loud opinion. But here’s the truth: Bibi and Trump are playing a global game with a thousand moving parts. While trying to make things look calm and controlled on the outside, they’re juggling war, diplomacy, pressure from every direction—and still, somehow, pushing forward.
Most people have no idea what kind of pressure they’re under. Everyone wants instant results, perfect answers, and a nice tone. But that’s not how reality works. Especially not here. Especially not now.
I live here. I’m raising my kids here. I’ve watched my friends go off to war. I’ve heard the sirens and held my children close as we sat in bomb shelters. I don’t need the approval of the ICJ, CNN, or the EU to know what kind of leadership we need right now.
We need leaders who will fight for our future. We need leaders who recognize that Judea and Samaria must be fully part of Israel—not in theory, but in practice. We need leaders who don’t apologize for existing in our own land.
And while it’s easy to criticize from the sidelines, I try to keep perspective. These are men. Men making decisions with more lives on the line than we can imagine. They carry a weight most of us can never fully understand.
Do I agree with every move they make? Of course not. But I believe they want what’s best for our people. And in a time like this, that means everything.
Terrorists don’t fear hashtags or peace talks. They fear strength. They fear leaders who don’t flinch. And that’s exactly what Bibi and Trump bring to the table.
So from here in the heart of our ancestral homeland, as we prepare to gather around the Seder table—some with empty chairs, all with heavy hearts—I offer this prayer with all my heart: May Hashem give our leaders the strength to keep going. May He protect them, guide them, and surround them with clarity, courage, and truth. May He strengthen the hands of our soldiers and calm the fears of our families. May He open the gates of mercy and let our hostages go—alive, unharmed, and soon. May He bring healing to the broken, justice to the wicked, and honor to the brave. And may we, the people of Israel, never forget who we are, where we come from, and what we’re still fighting for.
This Pesach, we don’t just remember the Exodus. We live it—again. And we pray for the day when we can finally say: “We were slaves, and now we are free.” Am Yisrael Chai.
