Mother of hostage at DC rally: The world must start thinking about what its excuse will be

Ahead of the representatives of the hostage families, singer Ishay Ribo takes the stage and addresses the crowd in Hebrew. Through a melodic call and response, Ribo and the 200,000-strong crowd recites Psalm 121.

The psalm, one of Ribo’s classic hits, is quoted throughout Israel on public billboards and includes the words, “Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.”

Following Ribo, actress Debra Messing says she too understands what it is to feel misunderstood and maligned since the Hamas terror, saying, “We see naked virulent Jew hatred being disguised as a noble call… We will pray for the success of the IDF in a war Israel did not want… but a war that Israel will win,” said Messing.

“Our light will shine until the darkness is defeated, Am Yisrael Chai,” said Messing to the chants of “Bring Them Home” in the crowd.

Orna Neutra, mother of hostage Omer Neutra, is the first hostage family representative. She describes him as, “A big guy, six foot two, always with a smile on his face.”

She says the dual US citizen is crazy about sports who was raised with a love and a passion for both of his homelands. After spending a gap year in Israel, Neutra, the descendant of Holocaust survivors on both sides, made the decision to serve in the IDF and protect the country. He was drafted as a lone soldier in the armor corps.

“From a place of deep pain, we hold strong for you, Omer. We speak in your name, tirelessly… Omer you’re not just my beloved son, you touch so many in deep and profound ways,” says mother Orna.

She calls on every American to call on their representatives to help bring Omer and all of the hostages home now.

Rachel Goldberg is the final hostage family representative. The mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, she asks, “Why is the world accepting that 240 human beings from almost 30 countries have been stolen and buried alive?”

Describing a Christian who saved Jews during the Holocaust, she says, “What the world needs to start thinking about today is, what will your excuse be?”