Teaneck 'Run for Their Lives' in support of hostages marches for the final time

Every Sunday morning for nearly two years, a group of walkers have circled Teaneck's Votee Park to rally for the hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.

The marchers loop around the walking path carrying posters bearing the haunting images of the captives.

The weekly event is part of a global effort called "Run for Their Lives" that operates in nearly 200 locations around the world, from New York to Brussels to Rome and Tenafly. The aim of the initiative, launched after the Hamas attack on Israel, is to raise awareness of the plight of those who were kidnapped by Hamas terrorists who stormed Israel, killed 1,200 people and abducted 251 others.

But this week, the groups held their final rally, amid a ceasefire deal that called for the release of the hostages, meaning such events will likely be obsolete.

"They're coming home!" Elchanan Ogorek shouted exuberantly to the crowd of roughly 100 participants who cheered as they waved Israeli and American flags.

Ogorek, the organizer of the Teaneck march, was holding on to a bottle of wine from Israel that he's had for two years. "I've been waiting until the hostages are released to open it," he said.

Elchanan Ogorek, the organizer of the march, takes a photo and video of the group, whose members hope it was their final rally for the hostages

During a short ceremony, participants recited a prayer for the hostages in Hebrew, sang Hebrew songs about the unity of the Jewish people and read aloud a list of the 48 remaining hostages in Gaza. Over half of them are believed to be dead.

"Next time we see each other," Ogorek told the crowd, "we can meet with joy instead of with tears on our cheeks. We can talk about things other than the hostages." He envisions a celebratory event, like a picnic.

The march has drawn a wide range of participants — from young to old and including Orthodox and some non-Jewish participants — who attend rain or shine.

Run for Their Lives in Teaneck rallied for the hostages for the final time Oct. 12, 2025.

But the Oct. 12 walk carried extra meaning because of the news that the hostages would be released under a ceasefire deal.

Ari Gononsky, a longtime Teaneck resident who recited the prayer for the hostages at the event, described Sunday's walk as "very emotional."

"For almost two years, my Sunday revolved around walking and advocating for the hostages," said Gononsky, who marched every week holding a photo of hostage Maxim Herkin, who was kidnapped from the Nova Festival.

"My heart is full of hope that the Run for Their Lives group can gather in celebration next week rather than despair," he added.

Run for Their Lives marchers in Teaneck at what they hoped would be their final rally for the hostages.

Devorah Schatz of Teaneck said she joined the weekly march because she wanted to "help in some way." In the months since, "I have become close with many of the Run for Their Lives participants and consider them part of my family. It takes a special group of people to come each Sunday and march. Sometimes we've gotten some negativity from people about why we're doing this, and it could be discouraging, but I always felt it was important."

On a recent trip to Israel, Schatz encountered the mother of one of the hostages at an event. She pulled out her phone and showed her photos and videos of the Teaneck walks. "She was overwhelmed and started crying and gave me a hug," Schatz recalled. "She said it warmed her heart to know that we cared."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Teaneck 'Run for Their Lives' in support of hostages marches for the final time