JSR Portraits

 

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Judith Raanan and her teenage daughter, Natalie Raanan, are US citizens living in Evanston, Illinois. Judith was born in Israel, grew up in Holon and later traveled to the United States, where she met Uri Raanan, Natalie's father. Natalie was born in the United States and her parents divorced when she was in kindergarten. After the separation, Judith became drawn to the Orthodox Chabad movement and started living observantly. ​She works as a sterilization technician in hospitals and is also a professional beautician. But above all, the family says, she is an artist — a talented painter who paints in bold and vibrant colors.

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On Saturday October 7th, Judith and Natalie were in Kibbutz Nahal Oz. They came there to celebrate Judith’s mother, Tamar Levitan's 85th birthday and the Jewish holiday season.

 

Judith and Natalie were staying in a kibbutz guest-apartment, located on the first row of residences, closest to the fence and entrance gate. As the surprise attack was launched , a rocket hit their apartment and later the two were kidnapped to Gaza. Seven other members of Judith and Natalie's wider family, from the Haran and Avigdori families, are among the hostages. Two members of the wider family were killed by terrorists in Hamas's October 7th onslaught.

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Judith and Natalie Raanan were released by Hamas two weeks after they were kidnapped.