Inside the OU

OU Calls Upon Shuls to Pray for Return of Soldiers’ Bodies

Following a meeting between the parents of Lt. Hadar Goldin, Hy”d, and OU Executive Vice President Allen I. Fagin, and the call of the Chief Rabbis of Israel to pray that the bodies of Lt. Goldin and St.-Sgt. Oron Shaul, Hy”d, be returned for proper burial, the OU urged its network of shuls to recite a special Av HaRachamim for the fallen heroes. Both officers were killed during Operation Protective Edge in the summer of 2014 and their remains are being held by Hamas.

The OU Department of Synagogue and Community Services designed a specially created Av HaRachamim card, which includes the Hebrew prayer developed by the Chief Rabbis of Israel as well as a translation in English. The card was distributed to the OU’s network of 400 shuls across the country. The Av HaRachamim is to be recited at the point when each shul recites the Mi Sheberach” prayer, often around Kriat HaTorah. “It is our obligation to daven for the return of these bodies and to ensure that they receive a proper Jewish burial,” says Rabbi Judah Isaacs, Director of Community Engagement. To obtain the card, e-mail synagogue@ou.org.

The Av HaRachamim card, distributed to the OU network of shuls across the country.

The Av HaRachamim card, distributed to the OU network of shuls across the country.

This article was featured in the Spring 2016 issue of Jewish Action.
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