I woke up and called my best friend to get ready, like I do every morning. I was dragging and slowly doing my makeup, dreading this Monday back in school after our Thanksgiving break. Just as I stood up to leave my house, my best friend said to me, "Omer's dead.”  

My heart skipped a beat, and my jaw dropped. I immediately ran to wake my parents, and I burst into tears in my mom's arms. 

Hamas held Omer's life in front of Omer's parents, Ronen and Orna, and continued to let them have the hope that one day their son would return, knowing that his return alive would be impossible. Ronen and Orna have spent over a year fighting for their son to come home, not knowing that can never happen. Omer was spared suffering in the tunnels of Gaza, but his parents had to live with this pain for the rest of their lives. His body was held for the mere fact that this would psychologically torture the friends and family of Omer. 

I have gotten the privilege to go to the same synagogue as 

Since October 7th, many communities on Long Island gathered together to pray for the safe return of the hostages, so as a community, again, we will mourn the loss of Omer Neutra, a 21-year-old IDF soldier, a brother, a son, and an amazing friend from Plainview, New York who just wanted to make Israel a better place for everyone.