JL;DR SUMMARY In response to the ongoing conflict and hostage situation involving 134 captives abducted by Hamas, Jodi Rudoren reflects on participating in a social-media campaign called Tastes Like Home, which aims to humanize the hostages by sharing their favorite cookie recipes and stories. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.