Chabad teens hold memorial for Israeli hostages murdered by Hamas

The Chabad of the Five Towns — along with members of its Hewlett High School teen program — held a memorial on Sept. 4 for the six Israeli hostages who were held captive by Hamas and recently found murdered.

The hostages — Master Sgt. Ori Danino, Carmel Gat, Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Eden Yerushalmi — were found dead on Sept. 1. Hamas captured them during the Oct. 7 surprise attack at the Nova music festival in southern Israel.

Hamas killed 1,200 people that day, and seized 250 civilians. As of Sept. 1, officials said, 101 hostages were still being held in Gaza.

Hewlett High School students who are involved in the Chabad CTeen program contacted Hadassah Geisinsky, director of the CTeen program, offering to honor the lives of the six hostages.

Chabad CTeen is a program from the Chabad of the Five Towns and has innovative programs that help nurture Jewish identity and helps teens stand above societal pressures, according to Chabad of Five Towns.

Geisinsky then assembled a memorial, which was attended by CTeen students and their families. The Kern family, Chabad members, hosted the space for the event at their home in Woodmere.

“We are remembering the legacy of six beautiful souls, and it’s a memorial because they are not with us today,” Geisinsky said. “We are going to focus on who they were, so we can remember them. Tonight we will also be celebrating what it means to be a Jewish nation.”

The CTeen students — Sophia Abromovich, Dean Feldman, Phillip Ginsberg, Julia and Maya Kern, Eric Mazo and Landon Mikhaylov — each spoke about one of the hostages, and lit candles in their memory.

“We were born because God said the world needs you, so each of these six beautiful souls were put in this world because we needed them,” Geisinsky said. “So let’s never forget them.”

The hostages were described through their interests, jobs, families, and how they helped other hostages before and during captivity.

After the candles were lit, Aryeh Kunstler, singer and songwriter, led the group in song to bring a bit of joy to the somber event.

CTeen students then led the audience in prayers for those in captivity, reciting the Shema, a Hebrew prayer that serves as a daily reminder of Israel’s allegiance to the one true God, and for Israel Defense Forces soldiers.

“We need to pray that we receive every body back and every hostage alive,” Geisinsky said.

Julia Kern, a Woodmere Middle School eighth grader, said she felt overwhelmed by the community’s outpouring of support and by how many people attended the memorial.

“It’s sad that we have to do this, I wish there was no hostages in the first place,” she said. “I’m very grateful I have the opportunity to talk about it and to spread awareness about what happened and the stories of the hostages.”

She appreciated that others feel similarly to her, and how respectful everyone has acted during this difficult time.

Sara Golduber, a Hewlett High School sophomore, said she attended the memorial to remember and honor the hostages, and to never forget about them and what happened.

“To know their story, who they are, and how they keep living in our hearts, has impacted me a lot,” Golduber said. “I’m going to pray every night for the IDF, hostages and Israel.”

Rabbi Zalman Wolowik, director of the Chabad of the Five Towns, expressed his gratitude to those who attended the memorial and have been making a difference for those in Israel.

“We can make a difference,” Wolowik said. “When we do a mitzvah (good deed), we are giving Israel the strength and miracle that they need on the front line. Don’t underestimate the power of lighting your Shabbat candle, putting on tefillin, putting a coin into a charity box or doing an act of kindness.”

Geisinsky urged people to perform a mitzvah in honor of the hostages who died, so their soul can be elevated.

“Take a mitzvah, anything you want there are 613 of them, and do a mitzvah specifically tonight for one of our six beautiful souls here who can’t do it anymore,” she said.

The memorial ended with a reading of the Jewish memorial prayer, and with a joyful cheer of “Am Yisrael Chai” (the people of Israel live).

“Tonight, this was not done by me, it was done by so many of you who asked to come together and pray,” Geisinsky said. “Along with so many of you teens who reached out saying let’s do something, always do that and keep it going.”