Comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his wife Jessica Sklar traveled to Israel to visit Kibbutz Be'eri, where more than 100 residents were massacred by Hamas terrorists.
The couple's first stop was at the headquarters of the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum in Tel Aviv to meet with the survivors and families of the hostages whose loved ones remain in Hamas captivity in Gaza.
On Tuesday, Yuval Haran, 36, accompanied Seinfeld and his wife on a tour of Kibbutz Be'eri, located in southern Israel and miles from the Gaza Strip – one of the main areas Hamas infiltrated during the October 7 atrocity, where 1,200 people were brutally murdered and 240 taken hostage.
The Jewish-American comedian and his wife saw firsthand the aftermath of the terrorist attack and the destruction of Be'eri and traveled to the site where Haran's house burned down.
Haran's father Avshalom Haran, 66, and his uncle and aunt were murdered, and seven of his relatives were taken hostage, including his mother Shoshan Haran, 67, who was released on November 25 along with his extended family members.
Haran told DailyMail.com on Thursday how meaningful Seinfeld's visit was during this painful and traumatic time.
Yuval Haran stands with comedian Jerry Seinfeld in Kibbutz Be'eri, the place where his parental home once stood
Seinfeld lays his hands on a community member to show his support during his trip to Israel this week, as he and his wife paid their respects to the families whose loved ones were murdered
Seinfeld and his wife Jessica Sklar (not pictured) dined in Tel Aviv during his visit to Israel
'It means a lot to me to meet him. My father was a very big fan of Seinfeld and really appreciated the show. We often watched episodes together,” he said.
“Part of the family's humor and my father's humor was that whenever something happened, he would say, 'Oh, that was like that episode of Seinfeld,' so it meant a lot to me to meet him before my father. '
He added, “I'm sure my dad is laughing from above and would have appreciated Seinfeld coming to hear the story, even though the situation is tragic.”
Haran also spoke to Seinfeld about the hostages, including his brother-in-law Tal Shoham, 38, who remains in captivity.
'We told him the story, unfortunately tragic, but it could have a better ending. I'm sure he will do everything he can to help them.'
At the end of the tour, Seinfeld said he was “proud to be an ambassador for spreading the truth around the world.”
The prankster showed a more serious side during his meeting with the families, which lasted two hours longer than originally planned.
He showed a “caring” and “sensitive” attitude, Channel 13 reported.
He told the families that he feels “a deep commitment to raising awareness around the world on the hostage issue,” in a statement shared by the headquarters of The Hostages and Missing Person's Forum.
He and his family were clearly “deeply affected” by the stories they heard from the relatives and the released hostages, the forum said.
Seinfeld, now 69, grew up in Massapequa, Long Island, and has a personal connection to Israel.
When he was 16, he shared in a social media post that he was living and working on a kibbutz in Israel and said he has “loved our Jewish homeland ever since.”
Two days after the horrific attack on the Israeli people, Seinfeld posted a heartfelt message on his Instagram.
“My heart is broken by these attacks and atrocities,” he said. 'But we are also a very strong people in heart and mind. We believe in justice, freedom and equality. We survive and thrive no matter what.”
“I will always stand with Israel and the Jewish people.”
Pictured: Yuval Huran's father Avshalom Haran was killed on October 7 and his mother Shoshan Huran was held captive for 50 days before being released on November 25, along with other extended family members, during the ceasefire
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On October 24, he posted an urgent appeal of #NoHostagesLeftBehind, an open letter to President Biden on the immediate release of the remaining hostages.
The letter thanked Biden for his support and moral conviction for the Jewish and Palestinian people, but also shared their concerns.
“We all want the same thing: freedom for Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side in peace,” the letter read in part. 'Freedom from the brutal violence spread by Hamas. And most urgently, right now, freedom for the hostages.”
Many Hollywood celebrities, artists and musicians signed the letter, including Madonna, Gal Gadot, Bradley Cooper, Will Ferrell, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler and his wife Jackie, Jon Hamm, Octavia Spencer, Paul Rudd and his wife Julie, Josh Brolin, Jeff Goldblum, Justin Timberlake and his wife Jessica Biel.
Sting and Trudie Styler, Chelsea Handler, Kristin Chenoweth, Courtney Cox, Debra Messing, Aaron Sorkin, Amy Schumer, Diane Von Furstenberg, Andy Cohen, among others.
Seinfeld wrote in his post that he was “proud to be a signatory of this urgent call to free the 220 hostages in Gaza.”
Actress Debra Messing visited Israel and met the Israeli president and his wife and spoke about the October 7 massacre and women's groups and human rights
Israeli President Herzog met with actress Debra Messing during her visit this week
Two days after the horrific attack on the Israeli people, Seinfeld published a heartfelt message on his social media expressing his grief. “My heart is broken by these attacks and atrocities,” he said in part
Seinfeld pictured in a van waving goodbye as he traveled to his next stop on his Israel tour. The comedian arrived in the country on Monday
Actress Debra Messing and record executive Scooter Braun also arrived in Israel this week to show their solidarity with the Israeli people.
Messing posted on her social media how honored she was to visit Israeli President Herzog and his wife First Lady Michael Herzog, who were held at the president's residence.
“We had a very meaningful conversation about the silence surrounding the barbaric sexual violence against women and girls on 10/7 and about what the future will look like,” she said.
It is believed that 128 hostages remain in Gaza – not all alive – after 105 civilians were released from Hamas captivity during a weeklong ceasefire in late November.
Haran has been very outspoken since the start of the war, initiating a march from Tel Aviv to Jerusaleum in mid-November, attended by thousands and organized by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
The purpose of the event was to reach Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office in Jerusalem to help influence decision makers to bring their loved ones home. The times of Israel reported.
When asked what he thinks should be done, Haran said candidly, “I don't know what should be done.”
'We are a simple family living our lives. We are not soldiers, strategists, politicians. I don't know what should be done.
'What I want to know and what I hope happens is that everyone does what they can. They do whatever is necessary. If it is the war cabinet… if it is the prime minister… if all politicians… and the entire Israeli people must do everything they can to release the hostages.”
'We know they don't have time. Every day we hear of new names and new people murdered and new people murdered. Life there is in danger every day.
He also spoke about his brother-in-law who was taken hostage by Kibbutz Be'eri while visiting with his family during the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah.
'Tal is a simple man. A friendly man. He's a father. A man who is all about love. A man just living his life,” he said in part. “He's there and we have to do whatever it takes to bring them back.”
He added: “I don't know the solution. It's not my job to know the solution. My job is to put my trust in our government to find a solution and do everything we can to bring them back.”