A Jewish mother is missing. The world must stop and find her

As I write these words, a Jewish mother is missing.

503 days ago, Shiri Bibas and her two beautiful redheaded children, Kfir and Ariel, were abducted into Gaza. Her children were tragically murdered shortly after their kidnapping, and today, in a grotesque ceremony, their bodies have finally been released and returned home.

But Shiri, a Jewish mother, is still missing.

Over these agonizing 500 days, Shiri and her babies have become a family to the Jewish people. Photos of them playing together, laughing, and embracing have gone viral. In every image, Shiri embodies the essence of a Jewish mother—nurturing, devoted, and protective.

In the horrific footage of her being forced into Gaza, we see a mother’s frightened eyes as she clutches her children close, trying to summon a mother’s superpower to protect her innocent young.

The swirling events of today leave the mind in a haze and the heart numb as we think about the mother—the Jewish mother. The one whose every fiber is devoted to protecting her child. The mother who does not distinguish between day and night when it comes to their care. The woman who cannot rest until she has whispered her children’s names and wished them a good night.

She may also be a doctor, a writer, or a lover of dance, literature, or dirt bikes. She may have enjoyed playing soccer, or perhaps she still does. But above all, at her core, she is a mother.

Today, as Shiri’s story unfolds, the most powerful gathering of Jewish women—the Chabad Shluchot—convenes in New York for their annual convention.

These women are master educators, writers, influencers, fundraisers, and globally recognized leaders. But there is something extraordinary about this group. Ask any of them their primary identity, and without hesitation, they will say, “Mother.” In Judaism, there is no greater title, no higher honor, than being a Jewish mother.

A Jewish mother is missing. The world must stop and find her.