What else could I do? A year ago, a former Israeli Chief Rabbi instructed Jews around the world to recite Psalm 102 for the release of captured Israeli soldiers Gilad Shalit, Ehud Goldwasser, and Eldad Regev. So every day, rain or shine, tired or not tired, with time or in a big rush, I read Psalm 102 nearly without fail.
And then, after a whole year of reciting the Psalm, one day this past week, I forgot. In the morning I couldn't find my book of Psalms, and then my baby started crying, and then my neighbor rang the doorbell, and then 1001 other things happened, and before I knew it, the soldiers' Psalm was totally erased from my memory.
I didn't remember it again until later that afternoon when I was sitting with my daughters getting ready to listen to their favorite children's radio program. I turned on the radio, and the first thing I heard was a young man saying, "I am Gilad Shalit, the son of Noam Shalit..."
I turned the radio up louder, and called urgently to my daughters, "Listen! It is the captured soldier you have been praying for in school! It's Gilad Shalit!" My daughters gathered closer to the radio, and we all heard Shalit's voice for the first time since his capture. He said, "Mom and Dad, brother and sister, my comrades in the Israeli Defense Forces -- I send to you from jail my greetings and my longing for all of you. A whole year in jail has passed and my health is still deteriorating. I am in need of a prolonged hospitalization."
It was as though I could hear the three soldiers captured last summer screaming to me from the edge of the abyss, "Don't forget us!"
I was shaken up. The very day I had forgotten to read his Psalm was the same day that I had turned on the radio, and heard Gilad Shalit urging us not to forget him.
It was as though, at that moment, I could hear the three soldiers captured last summer screaming to me from the edge of the abyss, "Don't forget us! Last summer, the Israeli Army went to war to bring us home, and returned home empty-handed. But don't you forget about us! The moment you forget about us, we are lost."
So, today I am sitting down to write about our soldiers captured a year ago. I am doing this so that I won't forget, and so that you won't forget either.
Ehud (Udi) Goldwasser
"I was in the kitchen preparing Udi his favorite meal in honor of his return from reserve duty that night," Karnit Goldwasser, wife of 31-year-old captured soldier Ehud (Udi) Goldwasser remembered, "and then I heard the news."
As part of her world-wide crusade to release her husband from captivity, Karnit Goldwasser addressed an audience in Washington, DC, speaking in a quiet voice and with great emotion about her missing husband, who, like her, was a graduate student in environmental engineering at Haifa's Technion Institute.
Karnit Goldwasser described her husband as a person who is passionate about protecting the environment and all its creatures, a person who, though he suffers from pet allergies, is the devoted owner of two cats and a dog named "Somebody" whom he adopted after he found him lying injured in the street.
He is a person, Karnit said, who is always there to lend a helping hand, a loving, caring human being who has many friends, and has a special love for children. Udi and Karnit, who marked their first anniversary this past October, had been hoping to soon start a family.
Karnit explained to the audience, "People ask me where I get my strength from. I get my strength from Udi. He's thinking of me, and gets strength from me. He knows I'm worried, but I will bring him back."
"Udi is a husband, a brother, a son. This is my husband. He is my soulmate. I miss him a lot." She then took a long drink of water as she choked back tears.
Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit, who was taken hostage by Palestinian militants a year ago this month, is famous around Israel for his shy but persistent smile. Several months ago, a busload of Gilad's friend and family gathered at the place where he was kidnapped on the occasion of Gilad's twentieth birthday.
Gilad's father, Noam, spoke to the silent crowd, "Gilad, we have come here to mark your birthday. We will not be able to celebrate this year."
As he spoke, Gilad's mother, Aviva, stood between her two other children, Hadas and Yoel, with her head bent in silence.
The quintessential good kid, in high school Gilad was an honor student who excelled in math and physics, was always the first to volunteer when help was needed, and had an encyclopedic memory for sports statistics. He would spend his summers and his short breaks from the army lending a helping hand to his parents who, in addition to their regular jobs as a manager and an administrator, run a bed and breakfast in the North of Israel.
Because of a low medical profile, Gilad could have been exempted from serving in a combat unit when he was drafted into the Israeli army 11 months before he was captured. But he was highly motivated to serve his country, and despite the risks involved, he applied and was accepted to serve as a combat soldier.
Eldad Regev
A man who had attended the same synagogue as 26-year-old Eldad Regev for many years said of him: "Eldad is a person who rarely speaks of his life: he is a tall and impressive man, yet humble." Another friend described him as "amazing kid who everyone loves with sparkling blue eyes and a heart of gold."
In his senior year of yeshiva high school, his mother, Tova, tragically died of cancer. Despite his mother's untimely death, the very next year Eldad volunteered to serve his country in an elite infantry brigade.
Three days before his capture, Eldad joined his father and three brothers at his mother's eighth memorial service. On the day he was supposed to return home after three weeks of reserve duty, he was captured along with Ehud Goldwasser by Hizbullah guerillas on Israel's northern border.
Eldad, who would have begun Bar Ilan Law School this year, lived with his brothers, all three of whom, alongside their father, have fought constantly for his release.
Several months after his capture, over 100,000 people gathered in Tel Aviv to rally for the release of the captured soldiers. At the rally, former Justice minister Professor Yaakov Neeman declared, "The strong will of the Jewish people, and our faith in G-d, are what will return our sons home."
CRY FOR THE SOLDIER
Psychologists who have worked with captured soldiers following their release explain that during captivity, the soldiers tend to discover reserves of strength and faith that they never knew they had. What breaks them, the psychologists explain, is the image of their mothers and fathers and wives, worrying about them at home.
When we pray for the speedy release of Gilad, Eldad, and Udi, we should remember that we are not only praying for our captured soldiers.
We are praying for Gilad, the beloved son of Noam and Aviva, Ehud, the cherished husband of Karnit, and Eldad, the treasured son of Tzvi and Tova, who is certainly pleading for her son's release in the World to Come.
The night after I forgot to recite the soldier's Psalm, my 7-year-old daughter, Hallel, came running to me in tears. I asked her, "Why are you crying?" expecting tales of a stolen doll, or a pulled pony-tail, or a sister who stepped on her bed without permission.
She told me, "I am crying for the soldier."
And I held her in my arms. And with tears in our eyes, we sat and read the soldiers' Psalm together.
We all have a tendency to think, "I am only one person! What can I possibly do to help bring the captured soldiers home to their families?" But if every person who is reading these words would take one small step to bring Gilad, Eldad, and Udi home, then together we could make a real difference. Remember, even a marathon starts with a single first step.
What can you do? The following are a few suggestions:
• Commit to keeping a new mitzvah in the soldiers' honor, for example, lighting Shabbat candles every week before sunset, refraining from eating meat and milk at the same meal, attending a weekly Torah class
• Write to your representatives in the government. Tell them that you haven't forgotten about Israel's captured soldiers, and that they shouldn't either
• Forward this article to ten friends to raise awareness
• Give charity to merit the soldiers
• Donate directly to the campaign to release the soldiers: http://www.banim.org/en/index_en.html
• Recite the Soldiers' Psalm (Psalm 102)
names of the three Israeli soldiers being held captive are:
Ehud Ben Malka
Eldad Ben Tova
Gilad Ben Aviva
This article has been modified from its original that appeared in The Jewish Press.
(23) Avie Shapiro, December 30, 2020 4:46 AM
Please Recite 102 and 22
So sad. Hashem Yeracheym - v'shavu vanim l'givulahm!
(22) David Honaker, April 14, 2013 6:43 PM
My Love and Dedication to Israel and Worldwide Jewry
I was in Israel in the late winter/early Spring of 1981. Growing up Catholic (all my youth in Catholic schools - becoming a Mormon after matriculating) I knew no Jews until my 3rd year of high school when I visited a synagogue in Denver, Colorado, USA. The Rav (Lipsitz) became a friend and teacher. Though still solidly a Mormon I never quite feel like I fit among my own, but am completely relaxed in a gathering of Jews. I have a fairly solid grasp of traditional Judaiasm and know just enough Ivrit chaya to get into trouble! (I read the Tannach in Hebrew in one hand, milon in the other.) A friend of mine, the head of the ADL here in Phoenix, AZ, has asked me twice why I'm not a Jew! My response then, and now, is that my heart is Jewish and my hands are Mormon. This article touched me. I want all to know (as my family and friends can each attest) that my love and dedication to the Jewish people worldwide, and to my beloved State of Israel, knows no boundaries. I have dedicated most of my life in the fight against anti-semitism (and anti-Mormonism as well as gender discrimination and racism), and in the vigorous defense of the State if Israel. I would not give my life for the soil itself, but I absolutely would spill my blood and lose my life defending the right of the Jewish People to live in the State of Israel in peace, with secure boarders. The State of Israel will have enemies (sadly, this includes even some Jews) in every generation. Some of these enemies are and will be virulent - even backed with arsenals of state-sponsored weaponry. But she will also have friends. Not necessarily heroes, or people of position with power of any kind. But people like me, people who can see things as they really are and not be persuaded by the fickle winds of political correctness nor by lies (such as Israeli "apartheid") so common in the press. Jews and Israelis, ani lo Yehudi aval ani tzioni v'chaver l'olam. David H. Honaker, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
(21) zehavit, April 24, 2012 6:07 PM
:)
gilad was released last year! my class prays for him everyday.
(20) channah, August 19, 2007 7:56 AM
one small mitzvah
wow - I read this article and i felt ashamed of myself. I would consider myself a fairly religious Jew- but then i read this and realised how much I DONT do. Living in the west with a good job and money and time to spare there is so much i could be doing to help not just these soldiers and their families but all my people Israel. If I cannot even remember to say one small prayer or to add one extra mitzvah to my life what kind of a jew am I really?
1 mitzvah or even 100 mitzvot is the least I can be doing to bring peace and safety to theses soldiers and all my people Israel. From now on I will be praying for them and trying to add mitzvahs every day.
thanks to the author of this artlicle for showing me what kind of jew I really am and for helping me to try to become a better Jew.
(19) Zoheret Etz Chaim, August 2, 2007 3:45 PM
moved to tears
I wept for the men and their families, every moment...wondering...will they be set free? I've been praying for a way to be connected to my people in Eretz Yisrael...reciting this Psalm daily will enjoin me with family I don't know, yet share their pain. trheir pain.
(18) Melanie, July 24, 2007 12:27 PM
Don't forget ALL of them!
I also pray for the captured soldiers every moment when they cross my mind, and I also want to start to recite for them Psalm 102 regularly.
Please do not forget all the others like Ron Arad and so on too!
(17) Anny Matara, July 13, 2007 11:21 AM
THEY CAN'T BE FORGOTTEN, ISRAEL DOESN'T FORGET ITS CHILDREN
WE'RE TOLD THAT EVERYTHING POSSIBLE IS BEING DONE AND I DO TRY TO BELIEVE, AS DO THEIR PARENTS, THAT WE'LL SOON SEE THEM HERE.NASRALLA HAS THE UPPER HAND AND NOT A WORD COMES OUT OF BEIRUT NO ONE KNOWS WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO THEM. AT LEAST WE HAVE A SIGN OF LIFE FORM GILLAD.WE ALL PRAY FOR THEM ALL THE TIME, THEY ARE OUR SONS TOO
ANNY MATAR
ISRAEL
(16) Anonymous, July 11, 2007 9:10 AM
I will not forget
BS"D
I will not forget Ehud, Eldad or Gilad. Neither will I forget Jonathan Jay Pollard. All held captive by the twisted logic of virulent antisemites.
(15) Jane S Barbonis, July 9, 2007 1:12 AM
RE: captured Soldiers
I am from a small island known as Singapore. I am catholic and I love Israel and the Jewish people. I would love to visit this beautiful country one day. I do pray for the captured soldiers daily in my prayers. I pray that they will be returned unharmed and in good health to their families. We must just keep on praying for these brave men.
(14) earis, July 5, 2007 9:49 PM
important
(13) Anonymous, July 5, 2007 12:10 PM
Ladies lets help the soldiers
Thank you for this article. I have a humble idea for ladies to help these loved ones. We ladies should be more careful with the way we dress and be aware of Jewish modesty dress code and bring more awareness to our family and friends. We could even ones or twice a week dedicate a day of keeping modesty laws to the release of our beloved soldiers to their families.
(12) Anonymous, July 2, 2007 10:01 PM
Thanks for the reminder. I realized that I had forgotten to include the name of one soldier. However, I understand that there are several other captive soldiers to pray for. How come they are not on the list? There is Rone ben Batya and Gai ben Rina
and Zecharya Shelomo ben Miriam and Yekutiel Yehuda Nachman ben Sara and Tzvi ben Penina and Yonatan ben Beracha. We have not heard anything about them. Are they still in captivity? If so, I believe we should add them to the list of soldiers to pray for and spread the word.
(11) Gloria Willis, July 2, 2007 12:36 PM
I will pray for these soldiers.
I am a Christian who loves Israel and the Jewish poeple. It seems the UN and the world has forgotten that they have not been released--an outrage!! I had not forgotten and will continue to pray for them. Reading this has made the situation more personal to me.
(10) Anonymous, July 1, 2007 11:25 PM
Not forgotten
Thanks for the poignant reminder not to forget our 3 brave soldiers!
My husband and I think of them daily and I wear their "dog tags" on my shoulder bag, attached to the zipper, so that every time I close my purse those 3 dog tags are in my hand and I am reminded of my duty to think of and pray for them.
Sometimes people ask me "What is that rattling and hanging on the zipper of your bag" and I explain to them the significense of the dog tags, more than often to a person who is not jewish. I explain to them that it is my duty as a jew to pray for their safe return and so often the stranger's response is "What a good idea, I will pray for them too!" And I am glad, because we need all the help we can get!
(9) Zissi, July 1, 2007 9:10 PM
Thank you for the reminder
Thank you for reminding me to pray for the soldiers. When there is life, there is hope.
(8) Sara Rigler, July 1, 2007 3:37 PM
Great article! It should be reprinted every month--lest we forget again.
(7) Judy Shapiro, July 1, 2007 1:30 PM
A t imely....important...meaningful piece.
Thank you for this most important and significant article. We in Brooklyn and New York join those around the world who daven for these exceptional men and wait to welcome them home to Israel. Also, please look at the website www.freethesoldiers.org and sign the petition.
(6) david, July 1, 2007 10:49 AM
We need to liberate them
Prayers and good deeds are very necessary but not enough..IDF needs to send some of its best soldiers and rescue the captured soldiers in an operation..Thats the only way to fight those terrorists
(5) sarah shapiro, July 1, 2007 10:24 AM
beautiful article
.
(4) Miriam, July 1, 2007 8:10 AM
thanks for the reminder
As the year dragged on, forgetting to pray for the soldiers became the norm for me, rather than the exception. Your article triggered a flood of tears that has inspired me to recommit to fighting for our brothers' speedy release. Tizki lemitzvos.
(3) Joseph Soussan, July 1, 2007 7:33 AM
we thank you for your e.mails
(2) Joey, July 1, 2007 7:02 AM
Thank you
I had been praying for the Israeli (as well as American) soldiers missing, but now I realize that for the last few days I have forgotten! Thank you for reminding me, and God bless.
(1) Mihajlo, July 1, 2007 6:01 AM
IT'S BRILIANT ARTICLE
Uncleared fate of captured IDF's soldiers is question that sometimes occupies my mind.
I really can't understand why Israel's government still didn't do anything to release them, and bring them to their families and homes.
I still remember how Mr.Olmert was speaking into the Kneset ( Israel's Parlament) before the last year's war. He's said among many other things:" I'have pictures of all three captured soldiers in my office.Every day I've been watching them.I'll fighting untill the end of my powers to save them".
However, one year later, it seems to me that he's forgotten his promise.I would like to know why...