Locals demonstrating at the Moses statue in Washington Park, Albany for the hostages  that were taken by Hamas  as it started a war on Oct. 7.

Community leaders and concerned citizens from across the Capital District gathered in Albany’s Washington Park  on Sunday. Aug. 4 to remember the 116 hostages being held in Gaza—with a particular focus on the kidnapped Americans.  At press time now 109 hostages, both living and dead, remain captive in the Gaza Strip, over  319 days after the Hamas-led Oct. 7 invasion.

“Today is a milestone we hoped to never reach: More than 300 days since terrorists violently stole over 200 people from Israel,” said Laura Weisblatt, co-founder of Amidah Albany. “Amidah stands with community leaders, faith leaders, and elected officials, to remember those still being held and tortured in underground tunnels in Gaza- including eight Americans. We affirm our support for Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state, and a safe haven for Jews,” continued Weisblatt. “Israel and the Jewish people are not going anywhere.”

The event—sponsored by Amidah Albany, the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York, and Run for Their Lives—brought together community leaders. In addition to speakers and singing, the program included a march through Washington Park in solidarity with the hostages.

The eight American hostages:

Concerned community in Washington Park in Albany organize to let the public know Israel has support.

Edan Alexander: Tenafly, New Jersey

Itay Chen (killed in Israel, body held in Gaza): New York City

Sagui Dekel-Chen: Bloomfield, New Jersey

Hersh Goldberg Polin: Berkeley, Calif.

Gadi Haggai (killed in Israel, body held in Gaza): New York

Judith Weinstein Haggai (killed in Israel, body held in Gaza): New York

Omer Neutra: Plainview, New York

Keith Siegel: Chapel Hill, North Carolina

“Several of the kidnapped are from New York State. They were taken from a music festival, from inside their homes, from their morning walk,” said Run For Their Lives leader Amanda Aussems Pozkanzer. “We cannot and we will not forget them. We’ve been saying this for 302 days and we’ll keep saying it until they are home: Bring them all home—now!”

Marching for Israel and the hostages.

Jeffrey Handelman, board chairman of the Jewish Federation of NENY added, “It’s a sad reality that rallies like this that are  taking place around the globe are needed to stand as a reminder—but we’ll keep showing up until every hostage is home and Israelis can live in peace with their neighbors.”

“I wholeheartedly support Israel’s right to exist and will continue to stand with my Jewish friends and neighbors as we urge Hamas to release the hostages— including the four hostages from New York State—so they can return home safely,” said Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan.

“We are rallying today, because since October 7th we’ve been tragically reminded of how much Israel is core to our collective identity as a people,” said David Posner, CEO of JCCs of the Capital Region. “Israel is a blessing in our lives, and we will never relent in its defense. There is but one Jewish state, at the center of one Jewish people,” Posner continued. “As a people, we have existed for more than 3,000 years, and we will work for 3,000 more.”

“The Jewish people have overcome years and years of anti-Semitism, hatred, pogroms, destruction, violence, expulsion, exile, ethnic cleansing and genocide,” said Deborah Zamer, Albany Common Council member. “The State of Israel is our safe haven— the place that has prevented the Holocaust from happening again. The place that takes in Jewish refugees from all over the world. The place we can live freely, and survive,” continued Zamer. “Being a Zionist means you support self-determination of Jewish people, not at the expense of any other people. We yearn for peace, coexistence, and dignity for all people living in the land.”

Letting the public know the the hostages and Israel are supported.

Amidah Albany is a local grassroots group, organized in response to rising anti-Semitism in the Region since the attacks of October 7, 2023. The group’s initiatives include: standing up for the Jewish community; standing up for Israel’s right to exist, defend itself, and ensure the safety of its residents; fighting anti-Semitism in all its forms, https://www.amidahalbany.com.

Run for Their Lives (R4TL) – Albany Group is the locally based group of the R4TL initiative, a global movement to raise awareness and call for the irelease of the hostages held by Hamas. The group gathers every Sunday to dedicate at least 18 min of each week to advocate for the release of innocents taken from their families and held captive in Gaza.  https://run4lives.org.

Readers are invited to the join with them.

Information about the JFNENY may be found at www.jewishfedny.org.