JSR Portraits

 

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Growing up in Long Island, New York, Omer Neutra was a fan of the Knicks, and was the captain of his high school basketball team, his volleyball team, and the soccer team, when necessary. “That's the kind of guy he is,” said his father, Ronen Neutra. Neutra decided to join the Israeli army after spending a gap year in Israel in 2020, putting off his plans to attend college at Binghamton University.

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Neutra had been missing since October 7th, while serving as a tank commander near Gaza. ‘When Neutra’s parents, Ronen and Orna, heard what was happening, they scrambled to contact their son. They weren't able to reach him, and he is believed to have been taken captive by Hamas terrorists, who massacred 1,400 people and kidnapped at least 200 others, including a number of US citizens.

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Ronen Neutra told CBS that his son is interested in peace-building and looked forward to returning to Long Island and college. They said that he’s been taken captive, said Orna Neutra. “So many have died that its just insane that you feel relief to think that your son is not dead, you know?” 

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Omer was kidnapped and taken to Gaza by Hamas  in the early morning of October 7. For over 13 months, the Neutra family clung to hope, longing for his safe return. ​In December of 2024, that hope was met with the devastating news that Omer was declared a fallen soldier of the IDF.