US Jews write to parents of kidnapped yeshiva students

The move, a JFNA spokesman explained, came “in response to communities throughout North America seeking a way to express their feelings towards last week’s kidnappings.”

By SAM SOKOL
Letters 370 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Letters 370
(photo credit: REUTERS)
The Jewish Federations of North America has joined the “#bringbackourboys” campaign calling for the release of three yeshiva students whom Hamas terrorists allegedly kidnapped last Thursday.
The national umbrella body, which represents local federations across the United States and Canada, is calling on visitors to its website to add their names to a “virtual letter” pledging solidarity with the families of teenagers Eyal Yifrach, Gil-Ad Shaer and Naftali Fraenkel.
“To the families of Eyal, Gil-Ad and Naftali, as the search continues for your sons, we pray for them like they are our own. We stand together with you and send our prayers, thoughts and support to you and all of Israel as we stand up to terror and mount every possible effort to safely #bringbackourboys,” reads the letter, which came out on Sunday.
The move, a JFNA spokesman explained, came “in response to communities throughout North America seeking a way to express their feelings toward last week’s kidnappings.”
In a letter to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, the leaders of the JFNA stated that its hundreds of constituent communities “stand shoulder to shoulder with the government and people of Israel,” calling the kidnapped boys, one of whom is an American citizen, “our sons too.”
“The North American Jewish community is outraged and deeply concerned by these kidnappings. Our federation communities are consumed with planning vigils on behalf of Eyal, Naftali and Gil-Ad. We wanted to let the parents of these teens know that our hearts are with them and we pray for their safe release and return,” JFNA CEO Jerry Silverman told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.
Jewish communities across North America have held prayer services for the boys.