#BringBackOurBoys One Week Reflections for Shabbat
It's been a very long week. #EyalGil-adNaftali This time last week we'd never heard of you; now you're in our hearts and minds. Constantly. Judy Lash Balint
Everyone in Israel is holding their breath, waiting for news about our kidnapped teenagers. Unfortunately we have learned to live with unreasonable hardships for so many years that we have become accustomed to them. Children have been gunned down in school. Bombs have blown up public buses and restaurants. Our cars have been stoned on our highways. Jews have been gunned down while driving on our roads. And whole families have been murdered as they slept in their homes. Today, in reaction to a terrorist kidnapping, our army is acting in a manner not seen since 1948. We can only hope that this reaction will inspire our people worldwide to set aside their differences and realize Israel has the potential to unite us.
“It doesn’t matter if you wear a black yarmulke or a white yarmulke or none at all, this is a priority that tugs at every Jewish heartstring. These boys are not strangers to us. They’re our kids.” Yaakov Kornreich, of Flatbush
We must remain ever hopeful and positive. This is very important. Please keep negative comments out of public view. They lower morale and affect our prayers. Varda Epstein
My son Dean has been serving as a combat officer in Hebron these past few months and now finds himself in the thick of operation “Brother’s Keeper.” He is begging me not to worry…but it is impossible. Between near-constant thoughts of the students, their families, and my own kid out there my stomach is in a knot. Incredibly proud of the brave soldiers searching and trying to keep the country secure but I wish they, along with Naftali, Gil-Ad and Eyal, will all be home for Shabbat. Laura Kam
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, מַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים.
What would you say to Naftali if you could? I'd hug him and ask him to be strong. That he should know that the entire people of Israel stand all the time with him and Gilad and Eyal. I would tell him that all the security forces are turning everything upside down to find them. We haven't forgotten them for a second and there is no way we will forget them." Naftali’s Uncle, Intel Jerusalem General Manager Yishai Fraenkel
"Unity is the strength of the people of Israel. When we are united, there is no power on earth that can defeat us, as we have shown more than once. When we are separated, divided and scattered, even a light breeze can cause us to fold." Haim Shine
During this time of crisis, the blogs of The Israel Forever Foundation really serves as my community to share and feel involved. We are 7 days into this kidnapping/terrorist attack. Who am I going to talk to about this? People on the bus in Chicago? But I can come here, see what people are writing, etc and know that I am part of the Jewish community and feel engaged with the citizens of Israel. As I go through my workday, I wonder throughout it, "where are those kids?" Am Yisrael Chai. Rhonda Blender
Photos of Jewish Unity in Prayer
The #bringbackourboys campaign shows the people of Israel at their best, unity around the globe. God please look down at your people that are uniting at this time around the world, and please say YES! Rabbi Ori Einhorn
The tears run down my cheeks, every day, every heart is praying, every morning we search the news, for maybe a word of encouragement. Oh L-rd here our prayers, Bring our boys home. Bobby Brown
The tears run down my cheeks, every day, every heart is praying, every morning we search the news, for maybe a word of encouragement. Oh L-rd here our prayers, Bring our boys home. Bobby Brown
Three young men. Three sons to three sets of parents. These young children must be scared. They must be wondering what they did wrong to deserve this. They must miss their families as much as their families miss them. And yet, instead of focusing on this incredibly human conclusion to such an important event, there are actually people connecting it to their own political views of the nature of where these young, vibrant and innocent children were abducted. Our understanding of justice has been skewed to the point that we don't know when to allow humanity in when it needs to be there. NOTHING gives anyone the right to kidnap or hurt a child, let alone three. Unwarranted violence that is justified on a political basis should not be encouraged in a democratic/western/enlightened state. Grace Chana Woolf
Today someone told me that he "feels bad" for the three kidnapped Israeli teenagers, but "there is so much in the world to worry about." Well, more than 160,000 people have been killed in Syria, ISIS has slaughtered large groups of Iraqis, and we still yearn for the return of more than 200 Nigerian school girls. If human rights mean anything, the violation of human rights must matter to us - in these three instances and in every instance - everywhere. We simply cannot be silent.
That is precisely why every human rights activist in the world must join in condemning the terrorists who kidnapped these three teenagers and must call for their immediate release. These Israeli boys - Eyal, Gilad and Naftali - could be your sons or your brothers. Because they could be your boys, they must become our boys, and we cannot be silent. Congressman Ted Deutch
Another morning I wake up here in America waiting for any news from Israel that our Boys have been safely returned HOME. I continue to pray, pray and pray. I ask everyone do the same, please remember to pray for our Soldiers and Special Israeli Units out blasting doors down and entering the terrorist area's. They need our prayers too. Stand UNITED, together, continue to post, don't let this fall asleep, keep it in everyone's face. Let me tell you, it feels as if America is CLUELESS as to what is going on in Israel. More than 90% of Americans I've talked to about this say "huh"? even one american Jew had NO idea. It makes me ashamed. For Zion's Sake, I SHALL NOT KEEP SILENT. Please, stand UNITED, together, pray.
Thank you to every one who's been consistent in posting information out of Israel. With our HASHEM and the brave Israel Military I KNOW we can get our boys home......another day of prayer and love sent to Israel from this Jewish girl in Arizona Yasa Leah
I think with all of this anger and frustration about the kidnapping it is really difficult not to get caught up in our negative feelings and play the blame game. I am really trying to stay positive and not get caught up in my own anger about the situation...In addition to tefilot, what ideas do you have to help stay positive and exude positive energy in hopes our boys come home soon? Micki Lavin-Pell
Shabbat Shalom and a peaceful weekend to friends and family around the world. It has been a week since the kidnappings of#EyalGiladNaftali. Please this Shabbat keep them and their families in your thoughts and prayers and our brave troops from the IDF who are doing everything to #BringBackOurBoys Rolene Marks
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