This Friday marks the fourth anniversary of Gilad Shalit’s kidnapping. The Jewish Community Relations Council of New York has set up a webpage through which you can write a personal message to Gilad which will be delivered to the International Red Cross. Copies of each message will also be sent to Gilad’s parents, Noam and Aviva. You can send a message here.
There are events being held in various countries around the world to mark the anniversary, including quite a few in Israel and America. In Switzerland some cathedrals will be switching off their lights in solidarity with Gilad. True, such events won’t change the world overnight but every little does help – and I’d imagine news of such gestures means a lot to Gilad’s parents.
Here in Britain none of the main Jewish or Zionist organisations seem to have arranged anything. This is a shame. There has to be more to this movement than endless backslapping concerts. As a Facebook friend of mine – she is a Holocaust survivor – asked: “Why no demonstrations for Gilad Shalit in Western countries at least once a week? Why is the world silent? Why?”
There are things we can do individually, including writing to our MPs and telling friends about Gilad’s plight. So let’s remember Gilad this week and also the other Israeli soldiers who are MIAs (Missing In Action). Last year I attended a ‘tekes’ for Gilad in north London. Here is a prayer from that night, which might be of interest or use to you.
Am speechless.
In what way?
I just didn’t know what to say. I still don’t. Nothing seems to touch this situation. Nothing seems to be enough, or even nearly enough. I think about Gilad Shalit often, and wish I had something clever or helpful to say or do for him. I don’t.
“True, such events won’t change the world overnight but every little does help…”
Indeed it does. Awareness-raising is paramount - just ask those involved in causes where success has been enjoyed.
I wrote a series of Twitter poems for Gilad Shalit’s cause last year. It was when we were attempting to get his name as a trending topic on the social networking site. Would be great to try again this year and thus anyone can cut + paste them in their own twitter stream on Friday.
They can be found here: http://politicsandpoetry.com/2009/06/gilad-shalit-twitter-poems-for-a-brave-israeli-soldier/
Thanks for sharing these.
Thank you, Chas, for reminding everyone.
I’m Christian and I pray for this poor young man and his parents. I have a boy about Gilad’s age, and I would be nuts if I hadn’t seen my son in 4 years. Lord only knows what his treatment has been.
Totally agree with you Chas. Will send the note.
Thanks Chas. Message sent and I’ll send this out as widely as possible.
Fair play to you Chas. You’re a committed friend.
Although this is a smart tactic, how sad it is that they have to use it: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/netherlands/7846704/Dutch-police-use-decoy-Jews-to-stop-anti-Semitic-attacks.html
How clever of the Dutch to tackle these issues head on! Good for them!
As for Gilad Shalit, I am a singer-actress and a few days ago, in a performance for golden agers together with primary school pupils in the southern Israeli (Negev desert) city of Beer Sheva, the audience were given a balloon each to release and a sticker to write their personal prayer/wish on it. I was told by the volunteers helping out that the vast majority of the elderly and youngsters wrote “For Gilad to come home safe and well”. On the one hand, Gilad alone 4 years in the hands of the Hamas terrorists, is terrible. On the other hand, is there another country in the world where that is the first prayer on people’s lips, before their own good health, success in their personal life or prosperity? In other countries do people know the names of their MIAs or POWs? Every day on certain radio programmes, the host of the show ends by saying how many days Gilad has been in captivity.
When I think of the millions of nameless Jews throughout history who were siezed, murdered and buried, I can’t but be encouraged that we have made huge progress – thanks to having our own country.
As you might know, Leonie, I try to find uplifting angles for my writing on this blog. For the last three days I’ve been trying to think of one in regard to Gilad.
I didn’t find it in my post, but you brought a perfect one via your comment. My thanks and admiration to you for doing so!
I was once at the Kotel and a secular Israeli boy and girl around 8 years old were next to me. A woman went up to them and said the Shema with them and then they all said a prayer for Gilad Shalit. It really moved me. A few months ago someone in my community was getting married and the girls half brothers came over from Israel for the wedding. After the service on Shabbat at the kiddush the brothers were drinking and making a le’chaim and they kept doing it for Gilad. They were really quite drunk by that point yet every time they had a drink they raised their glasses to Gilad. Gilad is very much not forgotten.
Could we not lobby the ZF to hold a vigil for Gilad?
Paul, a few of the senior ZF people read this blog regularly…
Speaking as we have been in this discussion of efforts for Gilad among Israeli people, I’d remind you/draw your attention to the graffiti I saw in Tel Aviv earlier this year, as featured in this post: http://www.oyvagoy.com/2010/02/28/my-israel-trip/
10,000 rally for Gilad in Paris http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3909292,00.html
Good job I’m not wearing mascara today as I read that in a public cafe and blink back the tears. It’s ok, I’ve made out that I have something in my eye.
You know Chas I didn’t even know it was the anniversary? How shameful that someone who is pretty active like me didn’t know. Thank you for bringing to my attention. Where is the public anticipation in the UK to 25th June? Is it me or is it treated like a non event?
I will see if we can have a special prayer at our Friday night dinner at my house for Gilad and a special reading.
Wow, I wonder if my shul can somehow mention it….hey….gonna call them hold on……
Just spoke to secretary and she told me to call back tomorrow….
I will call in the morning, this is not political….this is about our brother in bondage G-d forbid it should happen to any of us.
hmmmm…think captivity is a more appropriate description than bondage….
I may be politically naive but do not understand why the Israeli govt eased restrictions re Gaza without linking it to Gilad’s plight. Why no reciprocity? And why don’t all these “free gaza” activists offer to visit Gilad if they are as “humanitarian” as they claim?
My thoughts exactly!
And it seems that Gilad’s family are less than impressed with the Netanyahu government at the moment.
My son got married last week and instead of the usual words about the joy not being perfect because of the Temple not yet being rebuilt, our Rabbi spoke at length about the joy not being complete as long as Gilad and all the other MIAs were still not home with their families, which we felt was more relevant to our reality in Israel today.
Here in Israel everyone will be tying yellow ribbons for Gilad to their cars and anything else tomorrow – that’s something which could be easily done elsewhere too.
Tie a Yellow Ribbon for Gilad!
http://daphneanson.blogspot.com/