NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 | 41
meaningful to me that
MSU Chabad and Hillel
made active efforts to
bring students to D.C. to
be with the greater Jewish
community. I am constantly
praying for Omer’s release
along with the 240 other
hostages, and hopefully that
day will come soon.”
Orna Neutra, Omer’s
mother, spoke at the D.C.
March about her son who
was taken captive while on
active military duty. She
said that after graduating
high school, Omer took
a gap year in Israel to
connect with his roots. In
Israel he grew closer with
his new Israeli friends.
“So, being the person that
he is, he made the decision
to join his new friends
and serve in the IDF and
protect the country.”
Neutra said Omer is “a
dual citizen of both the
United States and Israel
and was raised with a love
and passion for both of
his homelands,” and she
hopes for the safe return
of her son who is “a warm,
optimistic and people-
loving person.”
Nate Strauss holds the
Israeli flag in front of
the MSU delegation.
Students with MSU
Chabad arriving at
Dulles International
Airport in Virginia.