Grieving for loved ones in Israel and Gaza | Morning Newsletter
And looking into the “New Era of Orange”
The Morning Newsletter
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We’re in for another day of mostly clear skies. Temps will reach the low 70s.
From nearly 5,700 miles away, Philadelphia residents with relatives in Israel and Gaza are grieving as the largest conflict since the 1973 Yom Kippur War unfolds.
Our lead story takes a glimpse into what their lives have been like the past few days.
— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Israeli American Danielle Gutman waited in anguish this week for news from southern Israel, where two relatives were reportedly taken hostage by Hamas on Saturday. Palestinian American Nagi Latefa learned Monday that his cousin, a taxi driver in Gaza, has been killed by a retaliatory Israeli airstrike.
For days, many Philadelphia-area residents with loved ones in Israel and Gaza have had their eyes glued to Arabic- and Hebrew-language news outlets. From thousands of miles away, they’re constantly refreshing social media feeds and WhatsApp chats for the latest news from relatives. Some have launched fundraisers, desperate to look for ways to help their families on the front lines.
While many have seen conflicts play out before, the brutality of the Hamas invasion on Saturday and the ferocity of Israel’s military response delivered a level of shock unseen in decades.
The human toll: On Wednesday, Israeli military officials said the Israeli deaths rose to 1,200, including 14 Americans with those totals expected to rise. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported over 1,050 dead in Gaza. Thousands more have been wounded, while upward of 150 Israelis remain hostages. Among the missing are at least 20 American citizens.
Continue reading to learn how these Philly-area residents grapple with grief as the war intensifies.
What you should know today
The family of the man wanted for killing Josh Kruger said the 19-year-old and the journalist had a years-long sexual relationship involving drugs.
Hundreds of Math, Civics and Sciences Charter students walked out of class to protest the school’s upcoming closure.
The University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia have won a $50 million grant to study the environmental effects on pregnancy.
Ken Johnston, the Philadelphia “walking artist” who hiked from New York to Canada last year to honor Harriet Tubman, started a new walk across southern Chester County earlier this week.
YèShì Night Market returns to Chinatown Thursday after a four-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
The Roosevelt Boulevard subway proposal gained momentum — but not money — at a Philadelphia City Council meeting.
The Flyers have dubbed the new generation of the professional hockey franchise as “A New Era of Orange.”
The core message is embedded into nearly everything team leaders say about the once-winning franchise, which has won only one playoff round in the last 11 seasons. Over the past decade, the organization hasn’t had real direction.
But what does that mean?
Notable quote: “It means a lot,” said Keith Jones, the team’s new president of hockey operations. “It means not forgetting about the past, taking some of those elements that were real positive things, and moving forward. It’s about a fresh start for us as an organization, which started with the words that we used last year in talking about a rebuild.”
Keep reading to understand why writer Jeff Neiburg says there’s reason to believe in the sincerity of the sentiment.
🧠 Trivia time 🧠
What year were the Phillies formed?
A) 1833
B) 1883
C) 1913
D) 1933
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
👀 Watching: Republicans nominated House Majority Leader Steve Scalise to be the next House speaker.
🗳️Sharing: Where to register to vote. The deadline is Oct. 23.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram 🧩
Hint: This baseball player is from Georgia
CLARK WHEEZE
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Robin Connell, who correctly guessed Wednesday’s answer: Vine Street.
Photo of the day
And that should get you started for the day. It’s always a good feeling to wake up with a Phillies win. I’ll be back with the latest news in your inbox tomorrow. 📧