Good morning. Thank you so much for joining us today. It’s really amazing to see so many new faces. My name is Michal Levison and I am a proud member of this beautiful community of Franklin Lakes, Wyckoff and Oakland. When I started this walk 13 months ago, I dreamed of our whole community bonding together across ethnic, religious, and cultural lines to stand up for this dire humanitarian issue – innocent civilians from across the globe were brutally kidnapped into terror tunnels on Oct. 7. I imagined a campaign along the lines of “Bring back our girls.” Unfortunately, most people wanted to distance themselves from this worthy cause, deeming it too political, too divisive. All we do, week after week – yes, we have walked every single week through rain, snow, and sun – is try to remind people that there are still people being held hostage. Right now, 59 people are still held captive, including Bergen County’s own Edan Alexander, a resident of Tenafly, NJ.

The past 16 months have seen an explosion of anti-Israel vitriol and antisemitic hatred and violence. February saw a lot of antisemitism right here in our community. A teenager inscribed a large swastika in the boys’ bathroom at Ramapo High School. The swastika is a symbol of Jew hatred, the Holocaust and the elimination of Jews from society. Just a week later, a student at Ramapo thought it was appropriate to wear a sweatshirt emblazoned with the statement, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” – not a peaceful slogan, but a blatant call for genocide against Jews and Israelis living in the State of Israel. It’s not just a slogan, it’s a threat. Just last week, our own walk in support of the hostages still held captive by the terror group Hamas, experienced a hateful and scary incident. A young woman intentionally sped up towards us as we were crossing the street. As she narrowly missed hitting two of our walkers, she gave us the finger and said some hateful things. When interviewed by the police later, she admitted that she became enraged when she saw the Israeli flag.

All these incidents have two things in common – they were antisemitic and they were perpetrated by young people. Two teens and a 22 year old! What we need now more than ever is to come together as a community and educate our youngsters. Punishment and revenge are not going to bring about the change we need. Only education. Please demand that of our schools. It seems that Holocaust education has fallen by the wayside – the tests about WWII don’t even ask a single question about the Holocaust. How can we expect our children to do better when they don’t even know the history??? Let’s work together to uphold our community values of respect, mattering and belonging.

What brings us here today is the hostages. On February 8, Eli Sharabi was release after 491 days in captivity. He detailed his time in captivity – at first, he was held in a private home alongside a Thai hostage. But in November of 2023, he was transferred into the tunnel network from which he did not emerge until his release. He was chained in cramped and painful conditions 50 meters (150 feet) underground. He was allowed one shower a month with a bottle of water or sometimes half a bucket of cold water. He was chained for a year and four months with thick, heavy locks that tore into his flesh. The constant starvation caused him to lose 40% of his body weight. He returned to Israel weighing just 97 pounds. Hostages are given one meal a day – often a bowl of pasta or half a pita – totaling just 250-300 calories. In Eli’s words: The idea that a free person can just take fruit or drink water – that’s what you dream about every day. You don’t care about the beatings, even when they break your ribs. I didn’t care – just give me half a pita. You start to see your stomach sinking inwards. At some point, you can’t believe what’s happening to your own body.”

The hostage issue is not a political issue – it doesn’t belong to the conservatives, the liberals, supporters of the Israeli government, detractors of the Israeli government, the right, the left…The hostages are beyond politics. Eli reminds us that his wife and daughters were asked their political views when they were murdered. When they murdered the Bibas family, did they ask their political views?When they kidnapped Hirsch Goldberg-Polin from the music festival and then murdered him, did they ask his political views?

This is an international humanitarian crisis. Every hostage is someone’s child, parent, sibling, friend. Every second counts and every single hostage must come home. Now. Before it’s too late. Just this week, four more hostage bodies were returned to Israel.

Ohad Yahalomi, 50, from Kibbutz Nir Oz, has been brought home after 510 days in captivity. He was a devoted husband, father, and a man of unwavering courage. On October 7, 2023, as terrorists attacked his home, Ohad protected his family, who were in the safe room, but the terrorists broke into the house and shot him in his leg. His wife, Bat-Sheva, was abducted while holding their two daughters. She managed to jump off the motorcycle taking them to Gaza and flee to safety. Their son, Eitan, then 12 years old, was kidnapped and released after 52 days as part of the first hostage deal. Then they took Ohad.

Ohad was a man of the desert, knowing every trail of the Negev, Judean Desert, and Jordan River. Charismatic and surrounded by dozens of close friends from different circles, he was a family man who loved spending time with his children and extended family.

For months, his family fought tirelessly to bring him back—only to be met with silence.

Ohad should have come home alive. Our hearts are broken over this loss. He will always be a part of us, always carried in our hearts, always remembered.

May his memory be a blessing. May he finally rest in peace.

Tsachi Idan, 50, from Kibbutz Nahal Oz, has been brought home after 510 days in captivity. He was a devoted husband, father, and a man of unwavering courage. On October 7, 2023, as terrorists attacked their home, Tsachi and his family sought refuge in their safe room. Holding the door shut alongside his eldest daughter, Maayan, 18, they faced relentless attempts by the assailants to break in. Tragically, Maayan was shot through the door, dying in Tsachi’s arms. Overwhelmed by grief, Tsachi was taken captive, while his wife, Gali, and their younger children, Yael and Eitan, survived the ordeal.

A talented high-tech professional, Tsachi was known for his sharp intellect and remarkable memory for dates and historical events. In his spare time, he loved working with his hands, building and crafting with wood. He even constructed a charming treehouse for his children. Tsachi cherished family bike rides through the kibbutz fields and enjoyed listening to good music with a beer or whiskey in hand.

His absence left a profound void, and for months, his family fought tirelessly for his return—only to be met with silence.

Tsachi should have come home alive. Our hearts are broken over this loss. He will always be a part of us, always carried in our hearts, always remembered.

May his memory be a blessing. May he finally rest in peace.

Shlomo Mantzur, 85, from Kibbutz Kissufim, was taken from his home on October 7, 2023, and has now been returned after 510 days in captivity. As the oldest hostage held by Hamas, Shlomo was a survivor of the 1941 Farhud pogroms in Iraq during the Holocaust. He immigrated to Israel in 1951 and was among the founders of Kibbutz Kissufim. He dedicated his life to agriculture and community building, becoming a pillar of his community. Shlomo was a loving husband to Mazal, a father of five, and a grandfather of twelve. His warmth, humility, and unwavering commitment to his family and neighbors left an indelible mark on all who knew him.

On that tragic day, terrorists invaded their home, forcibly taking Shlomo while Mazal managed to escape. For months, his family and community clung to hope, yearning for his safe return. Then, after 494 days, they received the devastating news that he had been murdered on October 7.

Our hearts are broken over this loss. He will always be a part of us, always carried in our hearts, always remembered.

May his memory be a blessing. May he finally rest in peace.

Itzhak “Itzik” Elgarat, 69, from Kibbutz Nir Oz, was abducted from his home on October 7, 2023, and has now been returned after 510 days in captivity. On that tragic morning, terrorists invaded his home; Itzik managed to call his brother, saying, “Danny, this is the end,” before being taken. He was wounded during the abduction, sustaining an injury to his hand. Itzik held dual citizenship with Denmark, where his two children reside. He was the maintenance manager of Nir Oz, a passionate football enthusiast, and a devoted supporter of Maccabi Tel Aviv. His dedication to his community and his vibrant spirit left a lasting impression on all who knew him.

For months, his family and community clung to hope, yearning for his safe return. The devastating news, received after 494 days, that he was murdered on October 7, has left a profound void in the hearts of many.

Our hearts are broken over this loss. He will always be a part of us, always carried in our hearts, always remembered.

May his memory be a blessing. May he finally rest in peace.

Let’s stand together and make our voices strong for the remaining 59 hostages. We must secure their release.

And now a shameless plug. On March 26, there will be a fundraiser in Wyckoff, hosted by Amy Soukas to raise money for Healing Space Rishpon – a center for trauma support and healing in Israel. Funds raised will support their newest program for hostage families to rebuild their lives and restore their minds, bodies and spirits.

The trauma of captivity doesn’t end with freedom—it lingers, impacting not only those who were held hostage but also their families, friends, and support networks. To address this profound need for healing, Healing Space Rishpon is launching a dedicated support program for the families of hostages. This initiative will offer a space for care, recovery, and relief, benefiting both the families and the returning hostages.

Also, Doughnate will be giving 100% of cookie sales to Healing Space. Get your Hamantaschen (or any other cookie) here while helping out this worthy organization.

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