A North Carolina family and community are rejoicing after the release of Keith Siegel by Hamas over the weekend.

Siegel, 65, was born in North Carolina but moved to Israel over 40 years ago. He was released by Hamas after being taken hostage in the Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack at an Israeli concert. He was held for over 15 months.

“For us, Oct. 7 is not in the history books. It’s very much still alive for us. It represents a significant drama,” Siegel said.

The Beth-El Synagogue in Durham was Siegel’s home synagogue before leaving North Carolina. Interim Rabbi Rachel Posner said it’s been far too long since he was a free man.

“When I saw Keith smiling on camera, it made me feel a tremendous amount of relief. I had the feeling when I saw him smile that it was... it was almost as if he was trying to reassure us,” Posner said.

Siegel was captured along with his wife Aviva on Oct. 7, 2023.

Posner said this past Shabbat, the Jewish holiday signifying a day of rest, marked the release of Siegel.

Related: Niece of freed Israeli-American hostage Keith Siegel overjoyed

“Of course the news of Keith’s release brings a mix of emotions. On the one hand we are overjoyed to see Keith return to his family,” Posner said. “On the other hand, we are also filled with sorrow and anger for everything that has been lost in these 484 days that Keith was held as a hostage.”

Posner said they felt the excitement of his release and weighed that against the frustration that so many more are still being held hostage by Hamas.

“It’s extremely important to note that there’s 79 other people who remain in captivity. We cannot rest or feel a sense of conclusion until those people return home,” Posner said.