A 19-year-old Bergenfield man is among at least 45 people that were killed in a stampede at an overcrowded Jewish religious festival in northern Israel.

The Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey identified him as Donny Morris. He was a graduate of the Marsha Stern Talmudic Academy and had been studying in Israel for his gap year.

Tens of thousands of people, mostly ultra-Orthodox Jews, had attended the celebrations.

Witnesses say the stampede began when large numbers of people trying to exit the site passed through a narrow tunnel-like passage. People began falling on top of each other near the end of the walkway as they descended slippery metal stairs.

About 150 people were injured in what was described as one of the country's deadliest civilian disasters.

The Associated Press wire services contributed to this report.