Gilad Shalit is a 23-year-old Israeli soldier that has been held captive by Hamas since June 25, 2006. He was kidnapped in a cross border attack from the Gaza Strip on the Kerem Shalom crosssing in Israel.

Hamas has continued to refuse a deal for his release and threatened that if Israel does not act soon, Gilad will suffer a similar fate to Ron Arad. Gilad has been denied access to the International Red Cross and his family has been left to wonder about his health. International human rights groups continue to remain virtually silent on Gilad’s fate.

The Jewish community has worked to bring awareness to the plight of Gilad Shalit and will not stop until Gilad is released and able to return to his family.
We believe there is still hope and we must continue to fight for Gilad’s return.

Please remind your local community, synagogue, government officials, media, and human rights groups that Gilad Shalit is still not free and he needs our help now. A recent op-ed that appeared in JTA entitled Act to Free Gilad by Zelda Harris and Marian Lebor can act as a guide in this effort.

Recently, members of Congress proposed to condition a full package of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians with the stipulation that they end rocket fire on Israel from Gaza and release Gilad Shalit. A letter was also sent to Secretary of State Hilary Clinton by Congresswoman Shelley Berkley of Nevada. Please support any legislative efforts to make Gilad Shalit’s immediate release a priority among policymakers.

How you can help:

• Write letters to your members of Congress to press for his immediate release and to demand Red Cross access.

• Write letters and op-eds to your local papers highlighting this issue.

• Write to the International Red Cross and other human rights groups demanding their immediate intervention.

• Post your thoughts on President Obama’s website.

• Talk to your friends, family and co-workers about Gilad Shalit.

• Use web 2.0 to highlight this issue - Join the Facebook groups dedicated to his release and Twitter your thoughts.

• Visit www.freethesoliders.org and http://www.habanim.org/en/gilad_story_en.html for more information and the children’s story, “When the Shark and Fish First Met” written by Gilad Shalit in 1997.

Below you will find a prayer for Gilad Shalit composed by the Sephardi Chief Rabbi Amar that can be used in synagogues across the country. Please feel free to pass it to your local Rabbis and synagogues.

Prayer for Gilad Shalit

Composed by Sephardi Chief Rabbi Amar
Psalm readings: Chapters 70, 13, 142, 126

May it be Your will, oh L-rd, our G-d and G-d of our Forefathers, That the verses of these Psalms which we have read before You today will find favor and will be accepted as if spoken by King David, Your servant and anointed one, of blessed memory.

May You do this for the sake of Your Holy Names that is written in them, alluded to and included within them. Accept mercifully and graciously our prayer and request.

May our supplication come before You that You shall take pity, forgive and have mercy upon Your servant, the son of Your handmaiden,

Gilad, son of Aviva Shalit

And You shall save him in both physical salvation and compassion, together with all the hostages and prisoners of Israel, Your People.

“He who liberates prisoners in good health, may He redeem him (Gilad) from his captors

Bring him forth from captivity to freedom, from slavery to redemption, from darkness into light,

Restore him to complete health, both in mind and body,

Fortify his spirit and increase his strength, spreading happiness and joy,

So that he may be strengthened and healed, and know eternal happiness.

May the proliferation of public prayer, protest and grief on his behalf, far and wide, act on his behalf to protect, shield and redeem him from the house of his imprisonment.

And He will cast asunder his evil sentence that has been decreed, his good deeds shall be enumerated before the Almighty blessed be He, including all that he has done and accomplished on behalf of our people and our inheritance.

So shall He cast asunder his evil sentence through the Holy Name that is alluded to in the initials of the words “accept the delight of Your People, exalt us and purify us exceedingly.”

May He fulfill for him the Biblical declaration, as it is written:

And those redeemed by the L-rd shall return and come to Zion in gladness, with eternal happiness on their heads; they shall know rejoicing and happiness; sorrow and grief shall fade. May this come to pass speedily in our days. Amen.”