Edan Alexander, an American taken hostage during the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, has finally returned to his hometown of Tenafly, New Jersey.
Thursday was an extraordinary day in Bergen County. Hundreds of people stood in the rain and waited for hours for the brief moment when he drove by. They cheered as his motorcade passed through town and carried Israeli and American flags to let him know he was not forgotten.
CBS News New York presented special coverage of Alexander’s return home.
Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images 
Alexander smiled and waved to his jubilant supporters as he drove past the crowd. He also high-fived some of the well wishers.
“It’s such a blessing to have him back. We miss him so much for the past almost two years. We’ve been praying, crying, so excited — full of emotions,” Tenafly resident Michelle Attias said.
“We’re all here to support Edan. You know, the Jewish community, when one of us is hurting, we’re all hurting. We’re all here to support him. Welcome home, Edan. We love you. We miss you,” Tenafly resident Sharon Homayoonfar said.
Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images
Alexander held for more than a year
After graduating high school, Alexander moved to Israel to serve in the Israeli military. He was 19 years old when Hamas abducted him on Oct. 7, 2023. He was one 251 people kidnapped after the attack.
After 584 days in captivity, Alexander was released on May 12 in a deal brokered by the Trump administration.
Those who know Alexander said he was part of the Tenafly community and the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades.
“Edan’s return is the return of everybody’s child. Every organization. Every family. Every Israeli family. And not Israeli. Not Jewish. Everyone in this community was part of what Edan was going through and was hoping for today to come,” Tenafly resident Orly Chen said.
“We’re so happy and relieved, and it’s a closure for a long-time battle to bring Edan back and fighting for Edan’s return,” Madi Oelsner of the Kaplen JCC said.
While the community celebrates Alexander’s bravery, for them, it’s not over.
“Each one of us felt that Edan is our own child, and that is how we treated him and his family this entire time he was away and in captivity,” Oelsner said. “I don’t think that Edan or his family are in time of celebrations because there are 53 hostages that are still in Gaza.”
Alexander endured unimaginable horror in captivity. His parents told CBS News that after Hamas terrorists dragged him into Gaza, he was held underground in tunnels and never saw daylight.
“Making the decision to go and serve in the army is because he was raised to be a good Jew and a good kid who actually cared about his country,” Chen said.
Support for Alexander in Tenafly
Bergen County, where Tenafly is located, has one of the largest Israeli-Jewish American communities outside of a major city.
“I’ve been praying for this day every single day and it’s hard to believe,” Tenafly resident Laura Gershon said.
“We know the Alexander family. We try to support them as much as we can and it’s a very exciting day during a very hard time,” resident Litka Madar said.
“We all feel as Edan is our child and that his coming home really represents a win, a happy day in a stretch of many difficult days,” Elizabeth Kratz added.
Hundreds of family members, friends and supporters gathered in his hometown last month to watch a livestream of Alexander’s release.
Omer Neutra’s family speaks out
The family of Omer Neutra, an Israeli-American soldier from New York who was killed during the Oct. 7 massacre, spoke out as Alexander returned home. Hamas is still holding Neutra’s body.
“Today marks 622 days since our son Omer was brutally taken from us. We share in the joy of the Alexander family as they welcome Edan home. At the same time, we remind the world that 53 hostages are still being held in the tunnels beneath Gaza — among them two Americans: our son Omer Neutra and Itay Chen,” Oma and Ronen Neutra said. “We call on President Trump to seize this moment. This is not only a humanitarian imperative — it’s an opportunity to help broker a comprehensive agreement that brings stability to the region and secures the release of all the hostages.”
