On Gilad Shalit’s birthday: three years of captivity
This is a Guest Column by Jenna Zark, a Jewish playwright and Twin Cities freelance writer.
Wednesday night I attended an event at the Sabes JCC in honor of Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian terrorists in June 2006. I heard about it through a friend, who also sent me a news story about children in Gaza who had been taught about Gilad and were gleefully acting out his capture. I have no idea why human rights groups don’t jump on these things; but somehow, they don’t.
Wednesday was, I believe, Gilad’s birthday. He was 19-years-old at the time he was taken; he has been in captivity three years and was only out of high school for ten months when he was abducted by Hamas terrorists. The few letters that have gotten out from Gilad to his parents depict a young man who feels friendless, alone and utterly degraded. He speaks of physical deterioration and prolonged suffering, and I can only imagine what he does not speak of, because he is not allowed to speak at all.
A film was made about Gilad’s experience, and his mother, father and prominent Israelis were interviewed. The picture of Gilad looked so much like my own son I could hardly believe it. Gilad’s mother was asked if she could imagine what he was going through and as she began to speak of darkness, rags, fear, I began to imagine for myself: wanting to drink a glass of water and not being able to, knowing it was your birthday and this was your third year in a cellar, not being able to shower or brush your teeth or wake to sunlight and the faces of your friends.
I am writing this to ask you to imagine, even for a moment, what it must be like to be Gilad. I am asking you to do more than imagine; I am asking you to do all you possibly can to free Gilad Shalit.
Learn more about Gilad Shalit on his website. Write to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Write the Red Cross at webmaster.gva@icrc.org. Write to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at U.S. Department of State, 2201 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20520. Write to President Obama through the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism’s website. Write to groups like J-Street and ask them why they put so much effort into what happens in Gaza without even once addressing what is happening to Gilad. Talk to anyone who will listen and talk publicly — but please, do not forget this young man; he is alone and desperate, and we cannot leave him in degradation in the hands of Hamas.
Gilad’s parents have said: “Each one of you can be a partner in the campaign to bring Gilad home. This participation fulfills the incomparable religious commandment of redeeming the captives and will benefit you for the coming New Year.” Shana Tovah.
– Jenna Zark
(Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Filed Under: Jew To Do • What's Nu?
Amen, Jenna:
If everyone reading TC Jewfolk were to write Senators Franken and Klobuchar, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and others (yeah, the Star Tribune too!) to ensure that Gilad’s release remains top-of-mind with the public, that would be the best Rosh Hashanah mitzvah we could all do. Thank you for reminding Twin Cities people who care about Israel — and basic human rights — about Gilad’s ongoing captivity.
Paul Maccabee
Paul, Jenna, and others –
Why do you think there hasn’t there been an under-the-table deal between Israel and Hamas to free Gilad? I don’t know the history of other similar incidents but it would seem to me that three years is an inordinantly long time for an Israeli to be held captive.
And why do you think there has been so little coverage of this issue in the press and (if we dare blame ourselves) so little attention to Gilad’s plight in our Jewish communities?
I believe that in the beginning, the Israeli government was asking people not to talk about it. I think Gilad’s family is now asking for help publicly, and I do hope that people respond. If more people who read this and make a fuss about it, more pressure will be put on Hamas.