Jun 15, 2014

Praying for the Safe Return of Kidnapped Students in Israel

The Greater Miami Jewish Federation, our Jewish Community Relations Council and the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami extend our heartfelt prayers on behalf of the families of 16-year-old Naftali Frenkel, 16-year-old Gilad Shaar and 19-year-old Eyal Yifrach, in hope for the speedy and safe return of their children, who have been kidnapped by Hamas.

The people of Israel have seen too many times the devastating impact of terrorism, which has also included the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers. The abduction of three young civilians – one with dual Israeli-American citizenship – makes this heartbreaking situation all the more intolerable. We know that the government of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces are doing everything in their power to locate and safely rescue Naftali, Gilad and Eyal, and we stand shoulder to shoulder with the government and people of Israel in support of their critical mission. 

While the IDF, through Operation Return Brothers (Shuvu Achim), is working to find and bring home our boys, their three families have reportedly been heartened by the outpouring of support and prayers from around the world on social media.

We call upon all people of goodwill to join us in solidarity and prayer for the safe return of these three young men. We encourage you to share your hopes and feelings with your friends and networks using the hashtags #EyalGiladNaftali and #BringBackOurBoys.

In addition, The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) has created a “virtual letter” and a web page, bringbackourboys.net, through which you may offer some words of comfort to the families and let them know that you stand with them at this difficult time.

You also may wish to include the teens’ Hebrew names – Naftali ben Rachel Devorah, Gilad ben Bat Galim and Eyal ben Iris Teshurah – in a prayer such as the one below, used in times like these:

May G-d be merciful to our fellow Jews who wander over sea and land or who suffer persecution and imprisonment. May G-d soon bring them relief from distress and deliver them from darkness to light, from subjugation to redemption. And let us say: Amen.

אחינו כל בית ישראל הנתונים בצרה ובשביה העומדים בין

בים ובין ביבשה, המקום ירחם עליהם ויוציאם מצרה

rלרווחה, מאפילה לאורה, ומשיעבוד לגאולה

השתה בעגלה ובזמן קריב