Hundreds gathered in Edan Alexander’s hometown of Tenafly, New Jersey, on Monday to watch the live stream of his release from Hamas captivity.
The community gathered in Tenafly’s downtown, outside Cafe Angelique at Huyler Park, for a communal viewing of the events, with big screens set up to stream the release, alongside flags and posters.
Chabad’s Rabbi Menachem Mendel and Rebbetzin Mushky Gluckowsky of the nearby Closter community joined Kaplen JCC on the Palisades in its live-stream event at Huyler Park.
This was the moment “we’ve all been waiting for with full hearts and hopeful prayers,” Gluckowsky said.
'Never look away from the cruelty of Hamas'
Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. of New Jersey’s 6th District said he was “deeply grateful” Alexander was alive, but added that he would not believe it until the hostage was safely home in New Jersey with his family, given Hamas’s history of false claims.
“For more than 19 months since October 7, 2023, Edan and his family have endured unimaginable psychological torture, living every day with fear, grief, and uncertainty,” Pallone said.
He urged the public to “never look away from the cruelty of Hamas.”
Pallone added that he would “keep fighting until every last hostage is home.”
The Kaplen Jewish Community Center on the Palisades said the “Tenafly community, its whole Jewish community, and specifically Kaplen JCC, [are] overjoyed at the prospect of Edan’s release today and his reunion with his family.”
The JCC added that it was hopeful that Alexander’s release would set the precedent for a greater agreement to release all the hostages and a lasting ceasefire.
It also said that members of its community have done a weekly march for Alexander and the hostages, and that there were billboards at the JCC and around town.
“We all look forward to putting a ‘welcome home’ symbol on them soon.”
Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. of New Jersey's 6th district said he was "deeply grateful" Alexander is alive, but added that he would not believe it until he was safely home in New Jersey with his family, given Hamas's past history of false claims.
"For more than 19 months since October 7, 2023, Edan and his family have endured unimaginable pscyhological torturew, lining every day with fear, grief and uncertainty."
Pallone urged the public to "never look away from the cruelty of Hamas." He also emphasized that he would "keep fighting until every last hostage is home."
Who is released American-Israeli hostage, Edan Alexander?
Alexander grew up in New Jersey and made aliyah at the age of 18 to serve in the IDF as a lone soldier, enlisting in the Golani Brigade.
He was on base on October 7, 2023, after he volunteered to stay on so his friends could celebrate the holiday with their families, despite his mother being on a visit to Israel at the time. He was subsequently kidnapped from the Gaza border area.
Hamas said on Sunday it would release Alexander after 584 days in captivity.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.