U.S. Jewry Mobilizes in Tefillah for Abducted Bachurim

NEW YORK

Jews in the United States expressed their concern for the three Israeli yeshivah bachurim abducted by terrorists with mass tefillah gatherings amid a call declaring Monday a yom tefillah for the boys.

Yeshivos and shuls across the country recited Tehillim after Minchah, as called for by the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudath Israel of America in a plea the day before.

Bais Medrash Govoha stopped second seder at 7:00 p.m. to daven,  and Yeshiva Chaim Berlin recited Tehillim at the end of second seder for the bachurim,who were kidnapped late Thursday evening while leaving their yeshivah near Chevron.

In Flatbush, Merkaz HaTefilla scheduled a 45-minute atzeres for 9:30 p.m. at their beis medrash .

The specific chapters of Tehillim requested to be recited are 13, 20, 22, 35, 43, 44, 69, 77, 83, 90, 102, 107, 121, 130 and 142, with the last three to be recited passuk by passuk.

In Baltimore, a gathering was held on Sunday evening at Suburban Orthodox Congregation, while in Chicago, about 1,200 people gathered at Congregation Adas Yeshurun. There were several gatherings at Boro Park’s Shomer Shabbos and many shuls recited Tehillim on Friday night — either before Kabbalas Shabbos or after Maariv.

A staff member at Yeshivah Karlin Stolin said that they recited Tehillim after Minchah, as did  Mesivta Bais Aron Zvi Veretzky and others.

At Congregation Lev Avraham in Kensington, a tefillah gathering for both men and women took place on Sunday night.

Agudath Israel’s office in Manhattan hosted a half-hour Tehillim session after Minchah.

One mother in Lakewood said that her 7-year-old son said Tehillim on Sunday. “His rebbi told them [about the bachurim] and they said Tehillim,” she said. “He even knew which perakim to say.”

Local elected officials expressed solidarity with the Jewish community, with many statements released condemning the terror attack.

“With so many of Naftali [Frankel]’s relatives in Brooklyn and countless members of the Jewish community across the nation so distraught over this abduction,” Rep. Michael Grimm (R-Staten Island), “this tragedy goes to show that the United States cannot throw up its hands and abandon our allies.”

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams scheduled a solidarity march for Tuesday evening, which Public Advocate Letitia James quickly signed onto.

“Much as the world stood together to call for the return of over 250 Nigerian girls kidnapped from their school by a terrorist group,” James said in a statement, “we must now join together to condemn this act meant to strike fear into the hearts of the Israeli people. We cannot allow terrorist forces to threaten the safety of people anywhere in the world.”

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