the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Tenafly NJ, during a vigil in Tenafly on Wednesday night ,Edan Alexander’s family appealed for the release of their son, who, along with over 200 other Israeli and American Jews, is being held hostage by Hamas. Edan, a 19-year-old born in Tel Aviv and raised in New Jersey, was serving with the Israel Defense Forces near the Gaza Strip when Hamas launched an unprecedented assault on Oct. 7. The Israeli-American Council of New Jersey organized an event where several hundred people gathered to support the Tenafly High School graduate and his family. At the vigil, Alexander’s parents and siblings spoke about his resilience and sense of humor. While the family has been informed that he is alive and being held in Gaza, they have no additional information. Edan’s sister, Mika Alexander, expressed the profound impact of his absence, stating, “It just feels like my best friend was taken away from me.” To date, Hamas has released four hostages, and the Israeli army successfully rescued one hostage in a special operation. On Thursday, the White House announced that Israel has agreed to pause military operations in parts of northern Gaza for four-hour periods each day, allowing Palestinians to flee south and receive aid.
Continue reading Vigil Held for Release of Tenafly High School Grad Held Hostage by Hamas
