On May 12, 2025, students from Tenafly High School, with permission from their parents, were allowed to attend a historic and heartfelt moment in Huyler Park – the return of Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American hostage released by Hamas after 584 days held in captivity. Edan was also a graduate of Tenafly High School, Class of 2023.
The decision, made swiftly and efficiently by Tenafly High School administrators, allowed students to gather as a community and witness the release firsthand. For many, it wasn’t about missing class—it was about showing up as a community, supporting a fellow Tenafly student and his family whose harrowing story had touched the lives of many, well beyond Tenafly.
Principal Morrison explained the thought process behind the school’s handling of the day. “Once I found out there was going to be this event at Huyler Park, I immediately got on the phone with the superintendent to begin to plan how we can accommodate this while also being responsible for the kids in our care,” he said.
This decision was very last-minute, but it showed how much the school recognized the impact this day would have on its students beyond the classroom. Although the event took place far from home—in Israel—it had a profound impact locally, with Tenafly prominently featured in international news coverage projected on a large screen in front of them in the Cafe Angelique parking lot.
“There’s always concern about how any decision might be received by the broader school community,” Morrison acknowledged. “But ultimately, we have to do what we think is right for the students in our care.”
For the students who could not physically be at Huyler Park, back at the high school, classrooms had all of their televisions playing the broadcast, and the library screened it as well with full sound on the big screen, ensuring that students who stayed behind could still witness the profound moment.
“Edan was one of our students,” Morrison added. “So this isn’t just current events for us. This is something that many people feel intimately attached to.”
Students who attended the gathering described it as a very powerful and moving experience. “I thought it was incredible that people showed up at five in the morning to support Edan and his family,” Noa Gabay (’27) said. “Watching the town come together for one of our own and pour their hearts into that moment was truly unforgettable.”
The emotional day also reminded the community about how supportive Tenafly students had been throughout Edan’s captivity.
“I’m just so impressed with the students who, for the past 19 months, have kept our hopes up, writing letters to him so that he could read them when he was eventually released,” Morrison said. “Their efforts continually helped keep Edan in our minds.”
In the end, what stood out most was the sense of unity and Tenafly pride.
“I hope students took away just the awesome sense of community and support that people are providing each other,” Morrison said.
