Former Hamas hostage Edan Alexander returns to a hero’s welcome in New Jersey

Nearly 600 days aft helium was abducted by Hamas during the October 7 massacre, Edan Alexander returned location to New Jersey connected Thursday to a profoundly affectional homecoming. Hundreds of residents lined the rain-soaked streets of his hometown of Tenafly, waving American and Israeli flags and holding handmade signs, anxious to invited him back.

Alexander, 21, was seen smiling and waving from the rider spot of a achromatic SUV arsenic it dilatory rolled done the 50,000-resident town, flanked by a constabulary motorcade and cheering supporters.

This undated photograph released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum shows Israeli-American worker Edan Alexander, who was abducted and brought to Gaza connected Oct. 7, 2023.  (Hostages and Missing Families Forum via AP)

"Our assemblage has been praying for him—585 days," said Rabbi Mordechai Shain, the family’s longtime rabbi. There was a march each week for him to travel home. It was similar we lived it."

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Raised successful Tenafly, New Jersey, Alexander moved to Israel astatine 18 to unpaid for subject work successful the IDF’s Golani Brigade. He lived with his grandparents successful Tel Aviv and astatine Kibbutz Hazor, wherever helium was portion of a radical of lone soldiers.

Alexander was serving successful the Israel Defense Forces erstwhile helium was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists during its deadly battle connected confederate Israel erstwhile helium was 19 years old. 

In May, helium was released aft much than 19 months successful captivity, successful what was described arsenic a goodwill motion following quiescent negotiations betwixt U.S. officials and Hamas. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Special Hostage Envoy Adam Boehler, played a cardinal relation successful securing his release.

Rabbi Shain, who has known Alexander since helium was 2 years old, said Edan was known for his quiescent kindness. "Even erstwhile helium was a small boy, helium was the 1 who helped without anyone knowing," the rabbi recalled, noting that Edan had taken a friend’s displacement connected October 7, truthful the different worker could spell home—an enactment that led to his capture.

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"As a idiosyncratic and a family, helium conscionable wants to spell backmost to beingness and determination on," said the rabbi. "This is simply a process. It's going to instrumentality clip to heal due to the fact that we don't adjacent cognize however overmuch torture helium went through. He hasn't told us."

During his time successful captivity, Tenafly’s Jewish assemblage held play prayers, marches, and adjacent celebrated Edan’s day successful his absence. "Over 800 radical came to his Hanukkah day celebration," said the Rabbi. "We wanted him to cognize we hadn’t forgotten."

Alexander is expected to stay successful New Jersey for present arsenic helium focuses connected his recovery. He reportedly weighed conscionable 121 pounds upon his merchandise and suffered manus injuries.

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