New Jersey
New NJ art exhibit from Israel honors young women who fought Hamas
“Heroines of October 7” opened on May 17.
Paramus art exhibit pays tribute to women who fought Hamas on Oct. 7
New exhibit pays tribute to Oct. 7th’s heroines, like women soldiers, police officers and civilians, who fought back against Hamas terrorists in 2023.
The artwork at the newly opened Paramus exhibition is haunting: A painting depicts three figures running as bombs explode around them. Another shows an anguished face and pair of hands pushing something or someone away against a backdrop of fire and blood.
Then there are the portraits of the young women. They were soldiers, police officers and civilians who bravely stood up to terrorists on Israel’s deadliest day, when Hamas stormed the country’s borders on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 more hostage.
It is all part of “Heroines of October 7,” an art exhibition that pays tribute to women who acted with bravery to defend their communities even as they were outgunned and outnumbered.
There are paintings and statues made with embroidery, metal and wood. Among them is a piece portraying six of the kidnapped women. Another is a life-size sculpture of a female soldier holding flowers. The exhibit runs through May 29 at the Paramus headquarters of Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey. The exhibit is open to the public, but reservations must be made in advance.
While other traveling exhibitions reflect on that day and memorialize the victims, this is the sole homage to women who helped save their colleagues and communities, said organizers.
This exhibit was the brainchild of curator and historian Yael Nitzan, who is also the founder of a museum in Haifa devoted to Israeli women, which will open next year. Nitzan said she wanted to create a space where the women who did extraordinary deeds that day could be honored.
“It’s very special to have them altogether in one exhibit,” she said. “I want everyone to know about them. It’s very inspiring.”
The Paramus event marks the American debut of this exhibit, which has been showcased in several Israeli cities. The installation highlights 50 women, “but we are hearing about new stories every day and we’re adding to it all the time,” Nitzan said.
Many of the visitors who came from around North Jersey to browse the installation at its May 17 opening were clearly moved.
“What strikes me is the age of these girls,” Laurie Bader of Englewood said as she examined the stories of the young women that accompanied their portraits. “A lot of them were just kids … it’s heartbreaking to learn about what they went through, sacrificing their lives in such a tragic way. They fought heroically to protect others.”
Nina Kampler of Teaneck stopped short when she reached a rocket that had been colorfully painted with the image of a young woman. “This is strikingly different than the other pieces,” she said. “It makes it all very real and makes you realize you aren’t just seeing pictures, but people who were killed. It contextualizes everything. This was a real rocket and a brutal attack designed to kill.”
The exhibit came about after Jason Shames, CEO of Jewish Federation, saw it in Nahariya, the federation’s sister city in northern Israel, and was so moved he opted to bring it to New Jersey.
“It’s a powerful tribute to the extraordinary courage of women” who “stood on the front lines of danger — protecting others, safeguarding Israel and, in many cases, making the ultimate sacrifice,” he said.
Zehava Ben Simon flew in from Israel to speak to the crowd about her daughter, Adar Ben Simon, whose image was included in the exhibit. Adar was a 20-year-old platoon leader who ordered her trainees on the base to seek shelter while she ran to the front lines to fight the invaders. She was ultimately killed by the terrorists, but she succeeded in saving the lives of 120 young people.
Her story is more than a war story, Ben Simon said. “It’s a story of her love for her people,” she said.
Eyal Eshel, the father of Sgt. Roni Eshel, who was also featured in the exhibit, spoke to the crowd as well. Roni, 19, was a surveillance observer on duty in the operations room in southern Israel when the attack began, he said.
She was among the first observers to “identify the terrorists crossing into Israel” that morning. “She warned everyone” he said. “She shouted. She tried to save lives until the very last moment. She remained at her post for hours that day, providing data to help direct forces.”
Roni was burned alive by Hamas inside the command room, along with 16 other girls, her father said.
“These young women were not political, they were not famous leaders, they were daughter, sisters, friends, young women with dreams, plans and a future that should have been waiting for them. Yet in their final moments they showed unimaginable courage,” Eyal Eshel said.
The exhibition is not only about tragedy, he said. “It’s about heroism. It’s about memory. It is about our responsibility in Israel, in America and everywhere to make sure these voices are never forgotten.”
Saturday is a Gridlock Alert Day in New York City as France faces Sweden in the FIFA Men’s World Cup in New Jersey.
The game starts at 5 p.m., but major impacts will begin as early as 11 a.m.
Traffic is expected to be impacted in Midtown Manhattan as the city initiates shuttle bus corridors and closes streets around Penn Station for fans going to MetLife Stadium, which FIFA calls New York New Jersey Stadium.
NJ Transit service at Penn Station is reserved for ticketholders for several hours before and after the match to accommodate the crowd. Non-ticketholders will need to take an alternate route.
Here’s what to expect and when the changes are slated to take effect:
Penn Station
NJ Transit service
NJ Transit service at Penn Station New York is limited to ticketholders going to the France-Sweden match from 12:29 p.m. to 4:18 p.m. During that window, riders who are not going to the match should take PATH from 33rd Street to Hoboken or Newark Penn Station for trains to other destinations.
Penn Station New York access will be limited again after the match to accommodate trains bringing fans back from the stadium. NJ Transit says other eastbound trains heading to Manhattan will instead terminate at Newark Penn Station or Newark Broad Street from 7:10 p.m. until about 10:14 p.m.
PATH and NJ Transit bus service will remain available for all other riders.
Street closures
Street closures around Penn Station to accommodate fans lining up for trains to Monday’s match will begin no later than 11 a.m.
Here are the street closures:
- 33rd Street between Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue
- 32nd Street between Sixth Avenue and Seventh Avenue
Most streets will reopen soon after each match begins, with 33rd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues reopening three hours after the match concludes, according to the mayor’s office.
Shuttle bus corridor
France-Sweden ticketholders will also be taking shuttle buses to the stadium from three pick-up locations in Midtown.
NYC established special shuttle bus corridors to accommodate the buses, meaning additional streets and lanes will be closed to regular traffic from 11 a.m. to up to three hours after the match ends:
- 42nd Street from First Avenue to 12th Avenue.
- Two lanes along Sixth Avenue from 42nd Street to 59th Street.
- Two lanes along Fifth Avenue from 42nd Street to 59th Street.
- West 40th Street between Eighth Avenue and 11th Avenue.
- West 41st Street between Eighth Avenue and 10th Avenue.
Truck deliveries
There will be restrictions on truck deliveries in Midtown from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. between 30th Street and 60th Street.
Smaller delivery vehicles, including cars, vans and bikes, are exempt, the mayor’s office said.
“Emergency vehicles, service vehicles and essential delivery providers operating within the zone are also exempt,” the announcement said.
Click here to see the full Midtown Transportation Plan.
The anticipated pain of a massive property tax increase in Jersey City has been alleviated somewhat.
Mayor James Solomon announced on Monday a proposed 20% increase has been reduced to a 15% after the city secured $120 million in state aid earlier in the day.
“Solving a deficit this size was never going to be easy”
The tax increase is necessary because the city is facing a $255 million budget deficit, Solomon said.
“Fifteen percent is better than 20, but I cannot tell you this solves our problem without consequences,” Solomon said in a statement. “We know how difficult these increases are, and in combination with the historic amount of state aid we secured in Trenton, my team went back and cut even more city spending. Solving a deficit this size was never going to be easy, and the Administration and City Council must make hard decisions in the coming weeks and months to make the budgets for 2026 and 2027 work without further large tax increases.”
Solomon, who was elected last fall, has blamed the budget deficit on his predecessor, Steven Fulop. The former mayor, who decided not to run again after serving more than 12 years, has vehemently pushed back against the assertion that he left the finances in disarray.
The proposed 15% increase will be submitted to the City Council on July 15 for its approval.
Residents left in constant state of dread over expected tax increase
Prior to receiving the state aid, Jersey City attempted to take some of the onus off of its residents by enacting some cuts, including daily maintenance at seven parks and eliminating its composting program, saving about $1 million per year.
Obviously, that’s not nearly enough to eliminate the need for a property tax hike, so Solomon had been preparing city residents for more than a week about the likelihood that they were going to have to ante up significantly more. He held a meeting on Sunday that was attended by about 150 residents, who expressed fear and dismay over the city’s dire financial situation.
“It means maybe losing my home,” one resident said. “I’m tired of this. This is happening everywhere and it’s not fair that there’s so many boots on our necks and that people just can’t get ahead right now.”
And even with the aid from Trenton and a 15% property tax hike, the city is going to have to figure out how to generate another $20 million, Solomon said, so more cuts are coming.
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