Apr 19th, 2026 - For more than two years, Jewish New Yorkers and allies gathered in Central Park every Sunday to advocate for the Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. On April 19, several hundred came together one last time to dedicate a bench to those hostages and close out that chapter.
The bench sits in a small plaza at the Central Park West entrance at 106th Street, near the park's Great Hill. Its placard reads: "In honor of the hostages kidnapped on and before Oct. 7. We fought for you relentlessly. You are finally home now." The $20,000 bench was a joint initiative between the Hostages and Missing Families Forum and UJA-Federation of New York.
Speakers included City Comptroller Mark Levine and several hostage family members. Shelly Shem Tov, mother of former hostage Omer Shem Tov, told the crowd, "You are my family." The last regular Sunday rally had taken place in February, and organizers said the bench is meant to serve as a future gathering point for anniversary events and commemorations.
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