What does it take to hold onto hope and humanity during the darkest of times? In this deeply moving episode of Momarchy, we sit down with Liz Hirsh Naftali, whose family was forever changed on October 7th when her great-niece Abigail, just three years old, was taken hostage after witnessing her parents' murder.

We dive into how Liz spent 51 days fighting to bring Abigail home, and now continues to advocate for all hostages still in captivity. We also discuss the practical ways any parent can apply her approach to having better conversations across differences and finding hope during overwhelming times.

Liz Hirsh Naftali is the creator of the Capital Coffee Connection podcast, a commercial real estate entrepreneur, and author of "Saving Abigail." She's worked with leaders across the political spectrum, from progressive Democrats to conservative Republicans, proving that our shared humanity is stronger than our political differences.

We Discuss:

00:03 - Rapid fire questions: from New York walks to Broadway pump-up music

06:17 - What "home" means in motherhood and why that matters now

10:36 - The crisis in the Middle East: a brief but essential context

16:27 - Living through a family's nightmare: when Abigail was taken

21:16 - How motherhood becomes a superpower during crisis

28:52 - Building unlikely alliances: working with politicians you disagree with

33:12 - Why we have to move beyond "choosing sides"

37:44 - Teaching resilience: how Abigail is thriving in first grade

42:30 - The role of women and mothers in times of crisis

48:12 - Finding what connects us instead of what divides us

51:38 - Practical advice: how to have better conversations with people you disagree with

54:43 - What keeps you showing up when everything feels hopeless

55:43 - The power of local action and everyday kindness

Learn more about:

Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.

Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.

Website: momarchypodcast.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy

Instagram: @themomarchypodcast

TikTok: @momarchypod

Email: [email protected]

Find more from Liz Hirsh Naftali:

Website: https://www.lizhirshnaftali.com/about-liz