North Cook News

The campaign of Ted Dabrowski, a candidate for Illinois governor, has announced the recognition of October 7 as a Jewish Day of Remembrance. In a press release, the campaign condemned Hamas, called for the release of hostages, and urged religious tolerance.

The press release expressed mourning for Jewish victims who were killed and noted that 48 hostages remain in Hamas captivity, with some confirmed dead. The campaign called for their immediate release and condemned pro-Hamas demonstrations on U.S. college campuses following October 7. It reported that Jewish students were harassed and blocked from participating in campus activities, stating that such tolerance of hate has persisted for too long. The campaign also said that extremist anti-Jewish rhetoric contributed to both the October 7 attacks and a rise in antisemitic acts in the United States.

According to Reuters, the October 7 assault resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths in Israel and 251 hostages taken to Gaza. Subsequent negotiations and limited exchanges have reduced those numbers, with recent reports noting dozens still held as part of ongoing ceasefire and prisoner-swap discussions. These figures frame continued calls for the immediate release of remaining captives referenced by Dabrowski's campaign.

Dabrowski brings over three decades of experience in international finance and domestic policy leadership. He spent 16 years in senior financial roles, including as Head of Corporate Banking at Citibank in Poland, where he advised the government on economic liberalization and managed multi-billion-dollar Treasury portfolios in Poland and Mexico. After returning to the U.S., Dabrowski became Vice President of Policy at the Illinois Policy Institute and later served as President of Wirepoints, a nonprofit focused on Illinois’ economy and government. His research has been cited by national outlets including The Wall Street Journal. He holds a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago, an MBA in finance from the Wharton School, and a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Tech.