LI town renames park in honor of slain Israeli captain Omer Neutra; community pleads for his body to be returned

Oyster Bay, N.Y. — Hundreds gathered Sunday to dedicate a park in the hometown of Capt. Omer Neutra, a 21-year-old Israel Defense Forces tank commander killed during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel. The town of Oyster Bay officially renamed the green space Capt. Omer Neutra Memorial Park, honoring the Plainview native who died in the fighting. Neutra’s family used the moment to reiterate a plea for the return of his body from the Gaza Strip as the war there continues to unfold.

At the ceremony, local officials and service members joined Neutra’s relatives in paying tribute. The park, which includes a playground the young man once used and a basketball court, features a plaque that ties his childhood in this community to his service abroad. The inscription notes the arc from a neighborhood where he once played to the distant battlefield where he fought for freedom and democracy, and it honors his leadership, courage, and humanity. "From this park, where he once played as a child, to the distant battlefield where he fought in defense of freedom and democracy. Omer was a true leader wherever he served. We will forever honor this son of our community for his courage, selfless bravery and his unwavering love of humanity," the sign adds.

In Plainview and Oyster Bay, Neutra was remembered as a strong, yet playful young man whose energy and kindness touched those around him. He enjoyed sports, especially basketball, and he was known for his Knicks- and Lakers-loving fandom. He grew up playing on the local streets and courts, and the park inclusion reflects that history, linking his childhood to a place of community gathering and remembrance. Neutra’s family, including his brother Daniel and parents Orna and Ronen Neutra, spoke of their pride in the community’s decision to honor him, even as they asked for help in bringing him home.

A longtime family friend and community supporter described Neutra as someone who lived with courage and warmth. The ceremony drew a wide cross-section of residents, veterans, and others who emphasized the importance of public memory and continued support for those affected by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Actor Michael Rapaport, who befriended the Neutras through pro-Israel advocacy work, attended the event and spoke about the urgency of concluding the hostage crisis and recovering Neutra’s body as well as those of the other captives held by Hamas. "It’s of the utmost importance that Omer and the 47 other hostages come home right now," Rapaport told The Post. "We cannot, will not, stop fighting, begging, pleading, writing, screaming, yelling, crying until Omer Neutra and the other 47 are returned. It is the right thing to do. It is the Jewish thing to do. It is the New York thing to do."

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino praised Neutra as a model citizen who represented bravery and humanity. "Omer was no doubt a leader. He embodied the values of bravery, commitment and humanity," Saladino said. Neutra had enlisted as a tank commander with the IDF and was serving near the Gaza border when his unit was ambushed on Oct. 7, 2023, just days before his 22nd birthday. Subsequent reporting indicated that his body was taken to Gaza after the attack, and it remains among the 28 corpses held by Hamas, with no sign of a negotiated exchange at this time as the war intensifies.

The memorial park is intended, community members said, to be a place where children can laugh, learn, and play while also serving as a reminder of the values that Neutra held dear—service, family, and community. His family members spoke of the park as a tangible link to the life he left behind and a promise that his memory will continue to shape the streets of the town he grew up in. As the ceremony drew to a close, relatives and supporters looked toward the future, hoping for a resolution that would allow them to bring Neutra home and allow his family to grieve with closure.

The park’s transformation into the Captain Omer Neutra Memorial Park reflects a broader moment in which communities across the region seek to honor those who have served and fallen, even as the broader conflict in Gaza creates ongoing global concern. While Neutra’s story remains intertwined with the larger struggle over hostages and ceasefires, residents say the park will stand as a living reminder of his life and the values he represented.

In the years ahead, the park is expected to serve as a community hub that balances remembrance with everyday life, ensuring that the young captain’s memory is not confined to the headlines but remains part of the fabric of Plainview and Oyster Bay. The family and supporters stressed that while their focus remains on bringing Neutra home, they also want the public to feel empowered to carry forward a sense of unity and pride in their local institutions and in the values Neutra stood for.

As the conflict endures, the park stands as a quiet symbol of a community’s effort to reconcile tragedy with hope, and a reminder that local landmarks can become enduring memorials for those who gave their lives in defense of a broader moral cause. The Neutra family said they will continue to advocate for his return and for accountability for all those affected by the violence, while the town and its residents look ahead to a future where memory and daily life coexist in the same space.