At least 2 NJ natives among handful of Americans missing in Israel: Governor Murphy
TENAFLY, New Jersey (WABC) -- Two men from Bergen County who were in Israel at the time of the attacks remain unaccounted for on Wednesday.
Another man with ties to New Jersey who had been missing was revealed to be alive.
Ari Dubin, an IDF soldier and the son of a cantor at Temple Beth Rishon in Wyckoff, is alive, his mother told Eyewitness News.
IDF solder Ari Dubin and his mother Nancy Dubin
Nancy Dubin
A voice note was passed around through five different chat groups before it reached his mother in Wycoff.
"There's nothing more harrowing than finding out your kids going to be in harm's way," Nancy Dubin said.
One of the missing is a graduate of Tenafly High School and the other was attending a music festival.
"Please bring our son back," Edan Alexander's parents said.
Alexander graduated Tenafly High School in 2022 and is now missing in Israel. He is an IDF soldier stationed near the Gaza Strip.
Laor Abramov is a DJ who was attending a music festival in Israel when Hamas unleashed that brutal attack on the country and its civilians. The last time his parents heard from him was when he was at a party disrupted by gunfire.
"She said she saw him getting pulled and they put him on a pickup truck with a few other guys and drove away probably to Gaza," Laor's father David Abramov said.
During his speech at the White House Tuesday night, President Joe Biden said he has no higher priority than finding the American hostages.
At least 20 Americans are missing after the attack. White House officials say the government has been in regular contact with their families.
"They were just going out to have a good time in this crazy world that they live in, like young people should do. It's like the craziest horror movie that no one could dream something like this could happen," Abramov's parents said.
In Hoboken Tuesday night, residents gathered at a rally in support of Israel. Governor Phil Murphy spoke with Alexander's parents and announced that he stands with the people of Israel.
"At this moment, the more than 5,700 miles that separate New Jersey, from the people of Israel, those miles have all but vanished. Though we may be separated by a great physical distance, it's spirit. We are united in heartbreak and grief," Murphy said.
The governor says that not only does New Jersey have one of the largest Jewish populations of any state, but also Palestinian. On Monday, community members unified in Paterson to support the Palestinians affected by the atrocities of war.
Several other current or former New Jersey residents have been reported missing by family. Many of the missing appear to be United States-Israeli dual citizens with family in both countries.
Paramus native Itay Glisko, 20, is an IDF soldier who was killed in the attacks, Gov. Murphy said, offering his deepest condolences to his family.
An estimated 500 students from northern New Jersey were taking a gap year in Israel when it was attacked Saturday. The Jewish Federation of New Jersey says they have accounted for every one of them.
New Jersey is reportedly deploying resources to protect both Jewish and Muslim communities.
ALSO READ | NJ family trapped in Israel following Hamas attack
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