Hackensack community honors hostage killed by Hamas with local ties
On September 1, about 40 people gathered at Chabad of Hackensack to honor the memory of Ori Danino, a cousin of Brurya Danino, a longtime Hackensack resident. Mr. Danino was among the six hostages Hamas murdered in the tunnels in Gaza.
Rabbi Mendy Kaminker of Chabad in Hackensack organized the memorial. “I saw the name Ori Danino, and I immediately thought about Brurya,” he said. “When I called to offer my condolences, I realized we needed to do something as a community. Her family is grieving in Israel, so we will need to be her family here in Hackensack.”
Brurya Danino was devastated by the death of her cousin, who Hamas kidnapped on October 7. “Whenever we spoke, she would ask for prayers for Ori,” Rabbi Kaminker said. “When she joined us at Chabad for holiday events, she would ask everyone to pray for Ori.”
“In Hebrew, Ori means my light, and Ori was the light of our family and everyone who knew him,” Ms. Danino said. “The only reason he was kidnapped was because, despite successfully escaping the horrors at the Nova festival, he insisted on going back to rescue others. He saved several people and went back to rescue more when he was captured by Hamas.”
Participants at the Chabad program performed mitzvot in Ori’s memory, including reciting prayers for the victims and the remaining hostages, giving tzedakah, and studying Torah. For more information, email Rabbi Kaminker at rabbi@ChabadHackensack.com.
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