March 29, 2007

Jewish Agency Chairman Ze’ev Bielski (photo) called on Jews worldwide to say a special Seder prayer for Israel’s three kidnapped soldiers, Gilad Shalit, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev this Passover.

The prayer composed by Sephardic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar says “our sons who are being held in captivity by evil oppressors” and asks “for their immediate rescue and return to their homes and families, in good health and peace.”

The prayer is a joint initiative created by the Jewish Agency and the Keren Maor Foundation, which represents the families of the abducted soldiers. Jewish Agency emissaries are to distribute copies to communities around the world.

The prayer, to be read after the Avadim Hayinu (“We were slaves”) passage in the Haggadah, also includes, “May He who hears all prayers, favorably hear our prayer at this time, leading to good tidings soon and in our day, Amen.”

The chief rabbi's prayer is to be recited following a reading of Psalms 121 and 124.

“May it be your will, Hashem, our God and God of our ancestors, that these Psalms that we have read, will find favor before You, as if King David, your servant, had recited them himself.

“For the sake of Your Holy Name, may our prayer and request be accepted with mercy and favor, and may our supplication come before You, to show mercy and loving kindness for our captives and missing soldiers: Ehud ben Malka Goldwasser; Eldad ben Tova Regev; Gilad ben Aviva Schalit; Guy ben Rina Hever; Zecharia Shlomo ben Miriam Baumel; Yekutiel Yehudah Nachman ben Sarah Katz; Zvi ben Pnina Feldman; Ron ben Batya Arad.

“Mercifully save them, together with all the captives and prisoners of your people Israel.”

“He who redeems prisoners shall save them from captivity and take them out of slavery to freedom, and from oppression to redemption, and from darkness to light, and He shall heal them fully in soul and body, and grant them strength, happiness and joy, so they shall be strong, healthy and content.”