Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Today is day 56 of the war. Health editor Renee Ghert-Zand and education reporter Gabriel Fiske join host Jessica Steinberg for today's podcast.

Ghert-Zand reports that most returning hostages are "okay," all undergo extensive medical tests and then get a tailored program for recovery. She adds information about some specific released hostages and the emotional care that continue.

Fiske updates on schooling in country's center and 351 pop-up schools created for evacuated K-12 children throughout the country.

He also looks at a special pocket edition of the book of Genesis for reserve soldiers, printed to use in the weeks since the war began on October 7.

For the latest updates, please look at The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

Live blog December 1, 2023

Photos, videos show emotional hostage reunions, as doctors say most in good health

Daughter of critically ill 84-year-old freed hostage: Red Cross ‘abandoned’ her

Tel Aviv area schools return to distance learning, partial classes as war resumes

Book publisher sends thousands of sacred texts to IDF soldiers

THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel

THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown

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IMAGE: The reunion of siblings Maya and Itay Regev, released from Gaza days apart, with a third sibling at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, November 30, 2023, in handout photos by the hospital. (Courtesy)

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