Edan Alexander was confined in Gaza for 583 days from October 7, 2023 by the terrorist group Hamas.
Tenafrie in New Jersey gathered enthusiastically on the streets today after being confined in Gaza by Hamas for 583 days from October 7, 2023, then Israeli-American Edan Alexander was released in Israel, and then Israeli-American Edan Alexander was released in Israel.
Tenafree is Alexander’s hometown.
At the age of 19, Alexander was one of 251 people lured when Hamas terrorists attacked an Israeli military base in an attack that ignited an ongoing war 19 months later.
Hamas continues to hold 58 hostages in Gaza, while others have been released in ceasefire agreements and other transactions.
“This is a very enjoyable opportunity today, as no one knew how this was going,” 60-year-old Cathy Padura told the Epoch Times from the May 12 rally.
Padura, an educator at Tenafree Elementary School, gathered at Tenafree Historic Railway Station on Piedmont Avenue from 5am to 2pm, among the 700 people who showed support for Alexander, now 21 years old.
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She felt she began to stop by gatherings after seeing a helicopter overhead during the break.
“My heart told me to stop and just stay here,” Padura said.
Speakers saw images of Alexander supporters lined up the street holding a face poster and televised on a huge screen in a parking lot outside the Angelique Café. Members of the crowd accepted each other and waved the Israeli flag.
When Alexander’s parents left Khan Eunice in southern Gaza, sandwiched between representatives of the Red Cross, they were traveling to Israel to say hello to their son.
“I want to tell him how much our community has supported him,” 21-year-old Aron Ben Avraham told the Epoch Times. “The community prayed for him every day. It wasn’t a day when someone wasn’t thinking about Adan. He needs to know that.”
Ben Abraham’s family owns Angelique Café, adjacent to the Tenafrie Historic Railway Station, where supporters gather.
“There’s never been a day that’s gone by Tenafree without seeing his face on the poster or hearing his name,” he added.
Edan Alexander, released after being captured by Hamas after being fatally lured in a deadly terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, accepts his brother when he reunites with his family in Lame, southern Israel, before flying to Tel Aviv on May 12, 2025. GPO/Distribution Materials via Reuters
Hamas released the video in November 2024 more than a year after his adduction.
Lisa Sugarman, 40, met weekly in the town square every Friday, demanding the release of the remaining hostages and attended today’s rally.
“It’s a miracle,” Sugarman told the Epoch Times on May 12th.
Alexander was originally from Tenafrie, a suburb of New York City, but moved to Israel in 2022 and after graduating from Tenafrie High School, he joined the Israeli Defense Force (IDF).
Adam Handman, 61, who works as a salesman and lives in Tenafly, has two 21-year-old stepdaughters who were in the same graduation class as Alexander at Tenafly High School.
“They were watching his situation carefully,” Handman told the Epoch Times. “It was tough for them. They were twins and for two years it was extremely painful for them and everyone in the community. Tenafree is a close-knit community.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
