NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — On the six-month anniversary of the Hamas attack on southern Israel, Mayor Eric Adams met with multiple families of hostages at an event hosted by a Brooklyn-based Orthodox organization.
The Council of Jewish Organizations (COJO), a non-profit social service agency based in Flatbush, held its 45th annual Community Legislative Breakfast Sunday morning.
Representatives from four hostage families—the Shtivi, Lifschitz, Shem Tov and Sharabi families—met with Adams, members of Congress and other senior officials at the event, the Hostages Families Forum said.
Idan Shtivi, 28, was attacked and kidnapped while fleeing the Nova Music Festival in his car on Oct. 7. An environmental sciences student in Tel Aviv, he was volunteering and photographing the festival.
Oded Lifschitz, 83, and his wife Yocheved, 85, were taken hostage from Nir Oz. Yocheved was freed on Oct. 23. Oded was a founding member of Kibbutz Nir Oz.
Yossi Sharabi, 53, and his brother Eli Sharabi, 51, were taken from Kibbutz Be'eri. Eli's wife and two daughters were killed in the attack. According to The Times of Israel, Yossi was likely killed as a result of an IDF strike.
Adams spoke at the breakfast, and at the end of his speech, was presented with a hostages’ pin by Liat Unger.
Unger is a cousin to Omer Shem Tov, 21, who was kidnapped at the Nova Music Festival. He called his parents while running from gunfire and made it to a friend's car, but after losing contact, his phone's live location showed that he was in Gaza.
Other attendees at the event included Rep. Michael V. Lawler, State Sen. Zellnor Y. Myrie, Assemblymember Helene E. Weinstein and Councilmember Susan Zhaung.