hmTv at HMTC Podcasts Ep 461: The Israeli Bond with Gal Swisa Cohen and guest Orly Regev P2 on hmTv
hmTv | The Israeli Bond – Episode 461 (Part 2)
Host: Gal Swisa Cohen
Guest: Orly Regev
In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Gal Swisa Cohen continues her interview with Orly Regev, a Long Island mother of three whose twin sons enlisted in the IDF as lone combat soldiers and served through October 7 and the Iron Swords War.
Orly recounts the terrifying hours when the war began while her family slept in New York and her children were in Israel. She shares how her daughter frantically tried to reach them, how her sons were called back to their units, and what it felt like to lose contact as one son was sent south toward the Gaza envelope. Orly also describes the emotional toll of waiting for any sign of life, the moment a simple photo brought relief, and the heartbreak of learning that a close friend’s son, Omer, had been kidnapped, and later murdered in captivity.
Beyond the first days, Orly explains the long reality of parenting combat soldiers during an extended war, the sleeplessness, the constant alertness, the limited communication, and the helplessness that comes with being thousands of miles away. She reflects on traveling back and forth to Israel for brief reunions, watching her son return changed, and the difference between a parent’s fear and a soldier’s pride and mission.
The episode closes with a message about values, identity, and the lasting impact parents have on the choices their children make.
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