|
November 25, 2002
IPA of
Orthodox Union Highlights Plight of Missing Israeli Soldiers
In an ongoing
effort to draw attention to the plight of the missing Israeli
soldiers, the Institute for Public Affairs of the Orthodox Union,
the largest mainstream Orthodox Jewish synagogue organization, is
sponsoring an upcoming “Shabbat of Remembrance” for the Israeli
MIAs to be held this year on Friday, November 29th and Shabbat,
November 30th, Shabbat Parashat VaYeishev and Shabbat Chanukah.
Special remembrance prayers and services will be initiated in
Orthodox synagogues throughout the country.
Betty Ehrenberg, IPA/OU Director of International and Communal
Affairs, said, “Sergeant Tzvi Feldman, Sergeant Zachary Baumel,
who is also an American citizen, and Corporal Yehuda Katz were
reported missing in action twenty years ago. Captured after the
battle of Sultan Yakub, which raged between an Israeli tank unit
and a Syrian armored unit on June 11, 1982, they are still
unaccounted for. The Syrians, responsible for the soldiers
according to the Geneva Convention, have refused to reveal any
information regarding their status or whereabouts. In 1986,
Israeli Air Force Navigator Ron Arad bailed out of his airplane in
Lebanon and was captured by an Iranian-backed group. Since then,
requests for his release or information as to his condition of
whereabouts have been refused.
“In October of 2000, Binyamin Avraham, Adi Avitan, and Omar Souad
were kidnapped by Hezbollah while on routine patrol on Israel’s
northern border. Syria, Lebanon, and the UN have not cooperated in
releasing all the information they have about this heinous crime.
“Elchanan Tannenbaum, an Israeli businessman who holds the rank of
Colonel in the IDF reserves, was abducted on a business trip in
Europe in October 2000 and is believed to be held by Hezbollah.
“Guy Chever, a soldier in the Israeli army, disappeared in the
Golan Heights on August 17, 1997. He was last seen at his base and
there has been no sign of him since.
“On Shabbat Parashat VaYeishev, as we read the portion of the
Torah that tells us that Jacob our forefather never stopped
longing for his missing son Joseph, we cannot help but be reminded
of these brave MIAs who risked their lives for the security of
Israel. We want rabbis to urge their congregants to publicize this
issue to elected officials throughout the country. Rabbis and
synagogues leaders will discuss this issue in the context of the
commandment of redeeming the captive.
“During this upcoming Shabbat Parashat VaYeishev/Shabbat Chanukah,
we urge all our congregants to contact the President, the Vice
President and the Secretary of State and all elected officials,
enlisting their aid in making this a top priority agenda issue.
For the families of the Israeli missing soldiers, every
pain-filled day is a lifetime. We hope that the Israeli MIAs will
be reunited soon with their families and all of Israel.”
A booklet of materials containing information and sources is
available to help you in forming your program. Please
view this
material online, or call us at (212) 613-8123.
-30-
|
