Keeping our Captive Brothers in the Hearts and Minds of Klal Yisrael
Ed Abramovitz, an advisor from NCSY’s New England Region, recently returned from a Yeshiva University mission to Israel, with the following tale.
While visiting Haifa, the group was addressed by Karnit Goldwasser, wife of Ehud Goldwasser, who is one of the Israeli soldiers being held captive in Lebanon.
Mrs. Golwasser expressed a major concern that, after the initial shock of the capture of her husband and the other soldiers wore off, people would forget about them. They would become complacent. Once people forget, there would be no impetus for action that might, please G-d, free our brothers. What can we do, she asked, to keep the soldiers in the hearts and minds of klal Yisrael?
At this point, a student from Stern named Gila presented Mrs. Goldwasser with one of the bookmarks made by NCSY. The bookmarks have pictures of the captive soldiers on one side and a prayer for their safe, speedy release on the reverse. (The reason it’s a bookmark is so that it can easily be kept in a siddur, to have it handy at the appropriate times.)
Mrs. Goldwasser was touched to see that the Jewish people have not forgotten her husband and the others. This was exactly the kind of thing for which she had been hoping. It’s a tremendous source of strength to know that you have the prayers of the Am Yisrael behind you.
To receive a bookmark, contact Frieda at 212-613-8374 or friedag@ou.org. For more information, please visit
http://www.ncsysummer.com/summer/information/C647.
please send a bookmark I’m on a list of small contributors for ncsy...since our son did a czech israel trip 2 years ago.
great idea- the bookmark...so sad..don’t know why olmert is contributing tax dollars and not insisting on return of 3 soldiers...crazy
leslie baum
floridaPosted by leslie baum on 02/01 at 10:22 PMChinese Jews of Kaifeng
Shalom, friends, my name is Shi Lei.I am a Chinese Jewish descendant of Kaifeng. Kaifeng is a medium city situated in east central China, with a total population of 4 million.During 11th century, Kaifeng was China’s national capital and the largest city in the world.My ancestors came from Persia to Kaifeng via the Silk Road and settled in Kaifeng a thousand years ago.They established a Jewish community and set up a synagogue in Kaifeng.
Through the passage of time, they gradually abandoned practising Judaism and forgot Hebrew mainly because of great influence of Chinese culture and intermarriage.
Today as descendants of the Jews coming from Persia in the 11th century,we Kaifeng Jewish descendants have strong desire to relearn Jewish practices. Luckily, I was chosen by an orthodox rabbi and was sent to study Judaism in Bar-Ilan University in Israel.Now I am back in Kaifeng, sharing what I learned with other Chinese Jewish descendants.The Jewish Community is being revived little by little through our concerted effort.
Now as a head of Kaifeng Jewish Community, China’s only Jewish-Chinese lecturer on Chinese Jews,and China’s only Jewish-Chinese tour guide,I invite you to visit Kaifeng Jewish Community. If you’d like to visit us and tour China, please contact me via e-mail.Thank you!
Please support our community!Posted by shi lei on 05/23 at 11:05 AM
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