We would like to take this opportunity to give our heartfelt thanks to all those involved in returning our precious son Joey to us. Thank you to the Bergenfield, Teaneck and Maywood Police Departments; to the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department; to Chaverim of Bergen County and Rockland County; BVAC, TVAC and Bergen Hatzalah. They responded swiftly and their professionalism was evident in the way they handled the situation.

There are not enough words to thank the hundreds of people who stopped what they were doing on a busy Sunday afternoon and came out to search for Joey. Among them were family members, neighbors, friends, rebbeim, teachers, acquaintances and complete strangers. How the community organized and united on such short notice was unbelievably inspiring. We were told that WhatsApp tehillim groups filled up within minutes with people who wanted to daven for Joey’s safe return. Women were seen whispering tehillim off to the side during a simcha when they heard the news about Joey. Community members were searching through tick-infested woods and ravines. As one rabbi noted, perhaps at that moment on Sunday afternoon the world was in need of just a few more acts of chesed and prayer. We will never know why that chesed and prayer had to come at the expense of our deep worry for our son’s well-being, but it will give us something to reflect on and has certainly changed us forever.

It may be difficult for people living outside our community to comprehend how it’s possible that a 4-year-old would ultimately be found in a neighbor’s house under a bed fast asleep. Out of context this seems bizarre. However, we are blessed to live in a community (and the Greenbriar cul-de-sac and street, more specifically) in which neighbors are more like family, share outdoor meals on Shabbos, and where it’s normal and common for kids to routinely play with one another and feel comfortable in their neighbors’ homes and yards.

We were overwhelmed by the warm messages from strangers and friends from near and far who reached out to comfort us and share our pain and worry for our son. During those frightening few hours, we felt the love and support of our community, both local and extended. Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts. May our community continue to come together and support one another only in times of simcha.

Stacy and Shabtai Horowitz

Bergenfield