A Needham family is resting easier Saturday night knowing that their family member is back home with his own family in Israel.After the Oct. 7 attack on Israel in 2023, 484 days later, Jason Greenberg, of Needham, is breathing easier now that his cousin Ofer Kalderon is free after being taken hostage by Hamas fighters and held for more than 15 months.”I woke up and saw the pictures and was finally able to breathe,” Greenberg said. “I’ve spent 484 days imagining what he has endured and can’t even begin to fathom the ordeal he has gone through.” Kalderon’s Israeli kibbutz was overrun by Hamas fighters during the attack, which resulted in his house being burned and the kidnapping of himself and two of his children.”Ofer and his kids stayed in their house as long as they could until the fire got too hot,” Greenberg said. “They jumped out a window, hid in a bush for three hours, and then they decided to make a run for it, and tried their best, but they were ultimately captured and taken to Gaza.”Kalderon’s two children taken hostage were eventually released. Greenberg shared new video of Kalderon and his kids being reunited at home.Greenberg said he kept blue ribbons tied to his Needham home in hopes his cousin and the other hostages will all soon be free.”This is somebody who has spent 500 days below ground and undergone unimaginable suffering, so the important thing right now is to be with his family,” Greenberg said.Greenberg told NewsCenter 5 that after a medical checkup, Kalderon will spend time with Israeli security officials going over details of his captivity.Meanwhile, Greenberg said he hopes to see his cousin as soon as possible.
A Needham family is resting easier Saturday night knowing that their family member is back home with his own family in Israel.
After the Oct. 7 attack on Israel in 2023, 484 days later, Jason Greenberg, of Needham, is breathing easier now that his cousin Ofer Kalderon is free after being taken hostage by Hamas fighters and held for more than 15 months.
“I woke up and saw the pictures and was finally able to breathe,” Greenberg said. “I’ve spent 484 days imagining what he has endured and can’t even begin to fathom the ordeal he has gone through.”
Kalderon’s Israeli kibbutz was overrun by Hamas fighters during the attack, which resulted in his house being burned and the kidnapping of himself and two of his children.
“Ofer and his kids stayed in their house as long as they could until the fire got too hot,” Greenberg said. “They jumped out a window, hid in a bush for three hours, and then they decided to make a run for it, and tried their best, but they were ultimately captured and taken to Gaza.”
Kalderon’s two children taken hostage were eventually released. Greenberg shared new video of Kalderon and his kids being reunited at home.
Greenberg said he kept blue ribbons tied to his Needham home in hopes his cousin and the other hostages will all soon be free.
“This is somebody who has spent 500 days below ground and undergone unimaginable suffering, so the important thing right now is to be with his family,” Greenberg said.
Greenberg told NewsCenter 5 that after a medical checkup, Kalderon will spend time with Israeli security officials going over details of his captivity.
Meanwhile, Greenberg said he hopes to see his cousin as soon as possible.
