The Soundtrack To An Unforgettable Day

On a day like today, it can feel like words just aren’t enough. After two unimaginable years, all the living hostages were returned to Israel and reunited with their families. And thanks to Instagram, we all got to follow along as thousands of Israelis gathered to celebrate in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, where the large illuminated letters reading “Bring Them Home” were rearranged to read “Welcome Back Home.” Emotional reunions between reunited families filled my feed, and I watched them again and again. 

A few songs scored the videos online—an Israeli cover of “Coming Home,” and the protest song “Habayta,” meaning home, which became an anthem for the hostages and was performed by more than a thousand Israeli musicians at a benefit concert in December 2023.

Another musical compilation came from the Israeli clothing designer Nili Lotan, who shared a Spotify playlist that reflects the day’s hope, heartache, and healing. Lotan, whose eponymous line of ready-to-wear has a “cult following” in New York City and beyond, shares music frequently; a recent playlist features the music that inspired her Fall 2025 collection. She and her husband, the Israeli singer-songwriter David Broza, collaborate often, and his classic song “Yihye Tov (Things Will Be Better)” anchors the playlist she shared today. 

“This moment fills my heart with profound gratitude, endless love, renewed hope, and enormous joy,” Lotan wrote. “For two years, an entire nation has waited for this morning. Hoping, praying for the release of the hostages. And today, they came home. Let there be peace. Let there be peace—Let it be. Yihye Tov.” 

So tonight, take a deep breath, press play, and let the music remind us all that, at last, things will be better.

Stay GOLDA,

Stephanie