Former hostage speaks in Tenafly
More than 175 students at Tenafly High School recently heard Maya Regev speak about her captivity in Gaza. The talk was in partnership with the school and the Jewish Student Union. It was hosted by Bergen County Jewish Student Union; NCSY‚ a network of Jewish culture clubs in public schools. Rabbi Ben Spanjer, the Bergen County JSU director, oversees the Tenafly High School group. He and his Jewish Student Union of Bergen County staff led the initiative to bring Ms. Regev to the school. Ms. Regev told her story. She was shot in both legs and endured severe mistreatment and torture while held hostage until she was released during the November ceasefire.
Alongside the trauma, she talked about gratitude, resilience, and Jewish pride. She talked about hunger, survival, and learning to appreciate even the most ordinary freedoms that people often take for granted.
She also challenged students to recognize that while conversations surrounding October 7 have become heavily politicized, for many people the events remain a deeply personal and ongoing trauma. She urged the students not to speak lightly about suffering they may not fully understand.
New York/New Jersey NCSY supports Jewish Student Union clubs in Northern New Jersey high schools with funding from the Russell Berrie Foundation.
JSU (Jewish Student Union) and NCSY are premier youth organizations dedicated to connecting Jewish teens to their heritage and building vibrant communities around the country.