RELEASE: On Edan Alexander Way in Tenafly, Gottheimer Marks Third Anniversary of October 7th

Above: Gottheimer announces Bipartisan Resolution to Remember October 7th in Tenafly alongside Alexander Family.

TENAFLY, NJ — Today, Wednesday, October 7, 2026, on the third anniversary of the October 7th terrorist attack on Israel, Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) joined local leaders, community members, and the family of former hostage Edan Alexander on Edan Alexander Way in Tenafly to remember the victims, honor the hostages and their families, and announce new efforts to combat terror. Gottheimer, along with U.S. Representatives Lois Frankel (FL-22), Joe Wilson (SC-2), and Young Kim (CA-40), and dozens of their colleagues, introduced a bipartisan resolution marking the third anniversary of October 7th. 

Watch Gottheimer’s full remarks here and here.

“We will speak the truth about October 7th. We will stand up to hate, wherever it rears its ugly head. And we will never stop fighting for the day when Hamas lays down its arms for good, and communities can live in peace free from terror,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “We cannot pretend the work is done. Hamas has not disarmed. The terrorists who carried out October 7th still hold weapons and still hold power in Gaza, and they will keep threatening Israel, and the Palestinian people until that changes.” 

Gottheimer also announced new and continuing efforts to combat terror and antisemitism:

• October 7th Remembrance Resolution: The bipartisan resolution honors every person murdered on October 7th, condemns the attacks as the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust, and honors the hostages and their families. It also supports Israel’s right to defend herself, a durable cease-fire, and the full implementation of the framework, including Hamas disarmament, humanitarian aid and reconstruction for Gazans, and a future for Gaza without Hamas. The resolution also condemns the rise in antisemitism at home, including in schools and on college campuses. The House resolution is endorsed by the American Jewish Committee (AJC), Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), Hadassah, Jewish Women International, and the Israel Allies Foundation.

• Holding the United Nations accountable: New legislation with Congressman Lawler (NY) that would bar U.S. funds from going toward U.S. contributions to the United Nations until the U.N. has designated Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations. This is critical as UNRWA currently does not screen for Hamas ties in its hiring of teachers and other employees, leading to Hamas terrorists infiltrating its ranks. The bipartisan bill is endorsed by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).
• October 7th Gold Medal Act: Bipartisan legislation introduced last year with Congressman Lawler (NY) to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the American victims and hostages of October 7th, including Americans like Edan who survived captivity in Gaza. The bipartisan bill is endorsed by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, American Jewish Committee (AJC), the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), Jewish Women International, the Weitzman National Museum of Jewish American History, and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).
• October 7th Remembrance Education Act: Bipartisan legislation introduced last year with Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA) to direct the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to build a model curriculum for schools to teach the attacks committed on October 7 and the antisemitism that followed. The bipartisan bill is endorsed by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), Jewish Women International, and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).

The announcement builds on Gottheimer’s work since the attacks, including securing $100 million in the defense bill for his U.S.-Israel Anti-Killer Drone Act to counter drone attacks from Iran and its proxies, along with a provision to stop Hamas weapons smuggling on the Gaza-Egypt border; House passage last month of his bipartisan bill to cut off funds to colleges that enable BDS on their campuses; and legislation with Congressman Lawler to dismantle UNRWA and replace it with humanitarian assistance out of the hands of Hamas terrorists. At home, Gottheimer continues to work across the aisle to boost funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program so that every synagogue, church, mosque, and temple has the resources to protect itself.

Gottheimer noted the sharp rise in antisemitism since October 7th: the ADL recorded 6,274 antisemitic incidents across the United States last year, a 68 percent increase since 2022, with New Jersey ranking third highest in the country and Bergen County recording 139 incidents, the most in the state.

“Three years later, the horror of October 7th remains seared into our hearts,” said Congresswoman Lois Frankel. “We remember those who were murdered, honor the survivors and hostages and their families, and stand firmly against antisemitism and terrorism. Now we must build a future where Hamas is disarmed, Israel is safe and secure, and Palestinians and Israelis can live in peace and dignity.”

“Today marks the third anniversary of the massacre of 1,200 and kidnapping of 251 innocent men, women, and children in Israel by the Iranian terrorist puppet, Hamas. This cowardly act will forever be remembered around the world, but no more meaningful than to the families and friends who lost loved ones. I am grateful for the leadership of President Donald Trump, with the support of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and our allies, for ensuring that all hostages, living and deceased, were brought home,” said Congressman Joe Wilson.

“Three years ago, the world witnessed unspeakable evil as Hamas carried out the deadliest massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust. We remember the 1,200 innocent lives lost, the hostages who faced unimaginable suffering in Hamas captivity, families whose lives were irrevocably changed, and the extraordinary courage and selflessness shown by ordinary Israelis on that day,” said Congresswoman Young Kim. “We will never forget the darkness of October 7th or allow the world to forget what happened. As antisemitism continues to rear its ugly head around the world, the United States must stand firmly with the Jewish people and confront this hatred in all its forms.”

“Three years after Hamas’s October 7th attack on Israel, we remember and mourn the more than 1,200 innocent people brutally murdered, honor the hostages who have finally returned home and the families who endured unimaginable pain, and stand with all those whose lives were forever changed. American Jewish Committee proudly supports this bipartisan resolution introduced by Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Young Kim (R-CA), Lois Frankel (D-FL), and Joe Wilson (R-SC), which ensures the atrocities of October 7 are never forgotten and reaffirms America’s commitment to Israel’s security and the fight against antisemitism,” said Ted Deutch, CEO of American Jewish Committee.

“The tragedy of October 7 and the surge in antisemitism that followed that day will forever be etched in the memory of the Jewish people,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. “On this solemn third anniversary of the attack, we remember the innocent lives lost, the hostages who were taken, and the survivors whose lives were changed forever. We thank Reps. Gottheimer, Wilson, Frankel, and Kim for introducing this bipartisan resolution and for honoring the victims and survivors of October 7, and reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that ‘Never Again’ truly means never again.”

“Three years after October 7, we honor the memory of every person murdered by Hamas and its terrorist allies, and we honor the hostages and their families who endured unimaginable suffering. This resolution is an important affirmation that complete disarmament of Hamas and dismantling of its terrorist infrastructure are essential to ensuring that October 7 can never happen again and to building a future of security, peace, and dignity for Israelis and their neighbors. It also reinforces that we must confront the dangerous rise of antisemitism that has followed October 7 and continue to work hand-in-hand with government to ensure that our communities are secure in the face of this violent threat,” said Eric D. Fingerhut, President & CEO of Jewish Federations of North America.

“On the third anniversary of the October 7th terrorist attack on Israel, we pray for the innocent lives lost and renew our resolve to thwart future threats to peace. Hamas has yet to capitulate and disarm in Gaza, and terror groups continue to operate alongside Israel’s borders, sustained by state sponsors of terrorism. On this solemn day, we recognize that peace has not yet been achieved, and that further efforts are needed to safeguard civilians and demilitarize those bent on perpetuating violence,” said Tyler Stapleton, Senior Director of Government Relations, FDD Action.

“As we mark three years since Hamas terrorists carried out the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust, we remember and honor all those who were murdered, injured, tortured, raped or held captive by Hamas. We thank Representatives Lois Frankel, Josh Gottheimer, and Joe Wilson for introducing this resolution, which condemns the atrocities of October 7, 2023, affirms Israel’s right to self-defense and supports the critical conditions of the ceasefire, including the disarmament of Hamas. We urge members of Congress to support this bipartisan resolution and to continue to confront the rise in violent antisemitism across the country and around the world,” said Carol Ann Schwartz, National President, Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America.

“I listened with horror to whispers of the sexual atrocities committed by Hamas. I watched with horror the video of young women, pulled from their beds and pushed bloodied into trucks to be taken into Gaza. I saw with horror the photo of a naked, bound woman surrounded by terrorists raising guns in victory. I sat with horror in the silence of the world, in the silence of the feminist organizations.  In the three years since, the silence, the denial, the distortion, and the hate not only continue; they grow. It is virulent and dangerous. Resolutions like this are critical in the fight against hate and disinformation. We are grateful to Representatives Gottheimer, Frankel, and Joe Wilson for standing up to hate and amplifying the truth. For those who died, and those who survived, we owe them as much,” said Meredith Jacobs, CEO of Jewish Women International (JWI).

Gottheimer was joined by Tenafly Mayor Mark Zinna, Tenafly Councilwoman Lauren Dayton, Tenafly Councilwoman, Jenny Jackson, Adi and Yael Alexander, and Rabbi Kirshner of Temple Emanu-El, Debra Mazon and her colleagues from Hadassah, Rabbi Levy from AJC, Brandi Katz Rubin from the ADL, and Shlomo Schorr from Agudath Israel, Rabbi Shmuel Bergman from Young Israel of Fort Lee, Rabbi Genack and his wife Sarah from Englewood, Tenafly Police Chief Michael Greenly, Rabbi Krishner with Temple Emanu-El, Rabbi Zev Reichman from East Hill Synagogue, and the Alexander family. 

Below: Gottheimer Announces Bipartisan Resolution to Remember October 7th in Tenafly.

Gottheimer’s remarks as prepared for delivery:

Good morning. Thank you all for joining us on this solemn day as we mark three years since October 7th, the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. As many of you know, for 842 days the posters of every single hostage held in Gaza hung on the wall outside my office in Washington – right next to the Israeli flag.  

It was a reminder to everyone who visited the United States Capitol of the responsibility we held here in the United States to do our part, not only for our key ally, but for what is right, until every hostage was returned to their families.  The hostage photos were not just Israelis. They were of Americans. Of Thais. French. British. Filipinos. They were young and old. L’dor vador, from generation to generation. We all had a responsibility to do everything in our power, in every corner of the globe, to bring them home.  It is a relief that this anniversary is the first without the need to wear yellow ribbons calling for the return of those being held. 

Yet, as I walk past the empty wall into my office every day, I can still see those images, staring at me.  It’s almost a reminder to me that we must never forget what happened – and of the work that lies ahead to heal and bring us back together. As it’s said in Isaiah, “Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.” 

Let’s be honest. We have a great deal of repairing and restoration ahead of us.  

But, on this third anniversary of October 7th, while we mourn those we lost, we also have much to be grateful for – for all the hostages who were reunited with their loved ones, who are rebuilding their lives. Among those taken that day, and who came home, was our very own Edan Alexander, a young man from right here in Tenafly. A graduate of Tenafly High School, who swam on the swim team and biked on these streets, a Jersey boy through and through. Today, we are standing here on Edan Alexander Way, a street we named last year in honor of his unshakable strength and courage.

To Adi and Yael Alexander: thank you for being with us today. I know Edan can’t be here, but I know he is living his life to the fullest today in Israel. I met your family on October 23rd, 2023, just over two weeks after the attack, and you have been like family to me and Marla ever since. For nearly two years, while Edan endured the unimaginable, you never — not for a single moment — surrendered hope. You called for action, and you would not be quieted until your son came home. 

You pressed me, as you pressed so many others in our community, for action and for answers. And, I was proud to carry the courage and conviction you gave me, both on my trips to the Middle East and in the halls of Congress every single day.

I especially want to thank the people of Tenafly. Three years ago today, the world changed, and this community was asked to carry something unimaginable. But, you never recoiled – you never looked away. You stood here with the Alexander family while Hamas terrorists held their son for 584 days. 

You stood in Huyler Park at five o’clock in the morning to watch him be released – I was there – and you filled these streets by the thousands to welcome Edan home in May of last year. You showed what a town can do when it stands together. 

You’ve also shown us the importance of never forgetting. 

That’s especially important today when some are actually glorifying Hamas terrorists as martyrs – or trying to justify the actions that day, when Hamas terrorists brutally murdered, raped, burned alive, decapitated, and kidnapped more than twelve hundred people – including innocent babies, children, women, men, and elderly people, and dozens of Americans, while taking 251 hostages into tunnels in Gaza. It’s unfathomable.

Some may try to bury their head in the sand or rewrite history. But, anybody who has seen the videos and images of those heinous and unthinkable acts knows what Hamas and its accomplices are capable of. They sowed terror at the Nova music festival, in the kibbutzim, in cities across Southern Israel.  Like many of you, I traveled to Israel afterward to see their path of destruction with my own eyes – to give me the first-hand knowledge to confront the haters. 

But, despite the truth, since Hamas’s devastating attack, we have unfortunately witnessed a tidal wave of antisemitism that has only grown more persistent, starting just hours after the terrorists attacked Israel. Instead of empathy from people and organizations around the globe, there was a flood of criticism and blame, and it hasn’t stopped.

Just days after the October 7 attack, during the “Day of Rage” in New York City, someone shouted at a group of Jewish people: “I wish Hitler was still here; he would’ve wiped all of you out.” Other protestors said: “Say it loud, say it clear, we don’t want Zionists here!” 

At Columbia University, Jewish students were chased out of their dorms, received death threats, were spat upon, stalked, and pinned against walls. People in masks screamed, “Go back to Poland!” and “Globalize the Intifada.” On October 8th, the day after the largest attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust, a faculty member at Rutgers declared October 7th “awesome.”

Three years later, the protests continue – including today – against Jews simply practicing their religion in America. 

Recently, at one just outside a synagogue chanting hateful slogans like “We are all Hamas,” “Death to Zionists,” and “Long live October 7th” at worshippers. Businesses have even boycotted my Jewish colleagues – refusing to serve them. 

Last year, the ADL recorded 6,274 antisemitic incidents across the United States. That’s a 68 percent increase since 2022, before October 7th. And here in New Jersey, we ranked third highest in the entire country. Right here in Bergen County, we had 139 incidents, the most in New Jersey. 

No other county in our state had more than 80. That’s our backyard. And, now you have internet personalities like Hasan Piker and Candace Owens spreading misinformation and hate to millions of followers online, with comments like calling a Jewish reporter a “Pig Dog,” justifying the violence on October 7th as “resistance”, blood libel, and conspiracy theories about Jewish control. 

I say this not only as your Congressman, but also as a member of the Jewish community. This is deeply personal for me.

But, even in those moments of despair, we have also seen moments that give us hope. Light through the darkness. 

Just a month ago, I joined the Chancellor of Vanderbilt, along with leaders from colleges ranging from the University of Alabama to Washington University to the University of Texas, in saying that hatred and religious discrimination against anyone isn’t welcome on their campus. We’ve had leaders in business, nonprofits, in the arts, in Hollywood, and in government stand strong against antisemitism, even though it has cost them personally. 

Nations like the UAE and Argentina have bucked their own history and doubled down to protect the Jewish people. 

And, of course, the greatest light. On May 12th of 2025, Edan came home. I will never forget the moment I first met him after his release. His humility, poise, and self-assurance stopped me in my tracks. He told me he was not a hero, that the real heroes were the ones still there … those who gave their lives. And, then he said something that will echo in my heart forever: “My story doesn’t end with survival. It continues with service.”

He meant it. Edan returned to the Israel Defense Forces and has since been promoted to Sergeant First Class. Just this summer, he stood before the world at the opening ceremony of the Maccabiah Games to explain why he went back into uniform. He has refused to let evil triumph. So neither can we.

A year ago this month, the remaining twenty living hostages came home. And in the months since, the remains of the fallen were returned, including Americans Omer Neutra and Itay Chen, whose families waited and waited until the last were finally brought home in January. Today, we remember every one of them.

We cannot pretend the work is done. Hamas has not disarmed. The terrorists who carried out October 7th still hold weapons and still hold power in parts of Gaza, and they will keep threatening Israel, and the Palestinian people until that changes.

That is why today, three years later, I am proud to announce new efforts to combat terror.

First, I’ve introduced a bipartisan resolution marking the third anniversary of October 7th. It honors every person murdered by Hamas. It condemns the attacks as the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. 

It honors the hostages and their families. It supports Israel’s right to defend herself, a durable cease-fire, and the full implementation of the framework, including Hamas disarmament, humanitarian aid and reconstruction for Gazans, and a future for Gaza without Hamas. And, it condemns the rise in antisemitism here at home, including in our schools and on our college campuses. I’m proud to be joined by Representatives Lois Frankel, Joe Wilson, and Young Kim, as well as fifty of my colleagues in introducing this resolution.

Second, I’m introducing legislation to hold the United Nations accountable. 

Here’s the simple, shocking truth: the UN has never designated Hamas or Hezbollah as terrorist organizations. Not before October 7th. Not after. The Security Council maintains sanctions lists for ISIS and al-Qaeda, but not for Iran’s proxies. And, because Hamas isn’t on the list, UN agencies, including UNRWA, don’t even screen for Hamas membership when they hire. The USAID Inspector General has found more than 100 UNRWA staff with Hamas affiliations, even though we believe there are far more, and only nine have been fired for direct involvement in the October 7 attacks. That is unacceptable.

So, my bill is straightforward. No U.S. funds can go toward our contributions to the United Nations until the Security Council has designated Hamas and Hezbollah as the terrorist organizations that they are. 

Today, we are also recommitting to two bipartisan bills I introduced last year, and that I am continuing the fight to pass them.

The October 7th Gold Medal Act, with Congressman Lawler from New York, will award the Congressional Gold Medal to the American victims and hostages of October 7th, including Americans like Edan who survived captivity in Gaza.  

And, the October 7th Remembrance Education Act, with Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania, will direct the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to build a model curriculum for schools to teach the heinous and brutal attacks committed on October 7th, and the antisemitism that followed. 

We can’t afford for our children to learn history – and be filled with anti-American, antisemitism-filled disinformation — from TikTok. From Hasan Piker. The truth and the facts – history – should be taught in every classroom across America.

This builds on the work we’ve been doing since that terrible day. This summer, I secured $100 million in the defense bill for my U.S.-Israel Anti-Killer Drone Act to counter drone attacks from Iran and its proxies, along with a provision to stop Hamas weapons smuggling on the Gaza-Egypt border. 

Just last month, the House passed my bipartisan bill to cut off funds to colleges that enable BDS on their campuses. With Congressman Lawler, I also introduced legislation to dismantle UNRWA and replace it with humanitarian assistance we can trust, out of the hands of Hamas terrorists. 

Here at home, we’re going to keep working across the aisle to boost funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, so every synagogue, church, mosque, and temple has the resources to protect itself.

This is not a red or blue issue. It’s about the safety of our families. Our Jersey Values mean that we don’t allow our communities to be torn apart. We stand together and protect one another. That’s exactly what we’re doing here today in Tenafly, just feet from Edan Alexander.

So today, we remember. We honor those we lost. We thank the heroes. And we recommit ourselves to the work ahead.

We will speak the truth about October 7th. We will stand up to hate, wherever it rears its ugly head. 

And we will never stop fighting for a day when Hamas has laid down its arms for good, and Israelis and Palestinians alike can live in peace.

If we keep doing that, I know that here, in the greatest country in the world, antisemitism and hate will lose, and our best days will be ahead of us.

Thank you. God bless. And may God continue to bless and watch over the United States of America.

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