By COLlive reporter
A permanent tribute was unveiled in Tenafly, New Jersey, this week for Edan Alexander, the 21-year-old IDF soldier and New Jersey native who was held hostage by Hamas terrorists for 584 days before his release earlier this year.
Outside Tenafly Borough Hall, the street sign “Edan Alexander Way” was revealed on Monday, honoring the young man believed to be the last American held alive in Gaza.
“It’s not just my name on a sign. It’s a reminder of how powerful a community can be that refuses to give up,” Alexander said, addressing the crowd in what was only his second public speech since returning home. “I never felt completely alone. I knew my family and my town and so many people were fighting for me, keeping my name alive, pushing for my return. That gave me strength.”
Standing alongside him at the ceremony were Tenafly’s Chabad Shluchim, who have been a source of encouragement for the Alexander family throughout the ordeal.
At the event, Rabbi Mordechai Shain noted that Edan has committed to putting on tefillin daily, adding: “The idea is that you put it on every day to connect your heart and your mind to G-d. He did it with his whole heart.”
Community leaders, including Congressman Josh Gottheimer, joined the gathering. “I hope they read about him and read about what happened to him, but also about his strength and his courage,” Gottheimer said.
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The event came against a backdrop of rising antisemitism in the borough. Just last week, an Israeli flag was burned outside a synagogue. “The street renaming was a way to double down on our pride,” said Mayor Mark Zinna, who praised Alexander’s composure when a heckler tried to interrupt his remarks.
For Alexander’s family, the ceremony carried deep meaning. His mother, Yael, said: “It’s unbelievable. It’s very touching. It’s a great honor. He’s just taking a day at a time. He still needs his rest. He still needs his strength. I’m just happy that he’s home and spending time with family and friends.”
After the event, Edan quietly prayed, marking the moment in his own way.
Alexander, who was kidnapped on October 7, 2023, after moving to Israel to serve in the IDF, endured captivity in Hamas tunnels where he never saw daylight. He was among 251 people abducted in the massacre and received a hero’s welcome when he returned home in June, with hundreds gathering in the rain to greet him.
“A year and a half in captivity was the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through,” Alexander reflected. “Every time I see this road, I’ll remember not just the struggle, but the love and unity that brought me back home.”
Alexander, who was kidnapped on October 7, 2023, after moving to Israel to serve in the IDF, endured captivity in Hamas tunnels where he never saw daylight. He was among 251 people abducted in the massacre and received a hero’s welcome when he returned home in June, with hundreds gathering in the rain to greet him.
“A year and a half in captivity was the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through,” Alexander reflected. “Every time I see this road, I’ll remember not just the struggle, but the love and unity that brought me back home.”
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