Shalits Going To Bethlehem for Matriarch Rachel's Yahrtzeit

As received:

26 October 2009

For Immediate Release

100,000 People to Visit Rachel's Tomb on the Anniversary of her Death

Prayers this Year will be Dedicated

to the Release of Gilad Shalit

(JERUSALEM) – As the situation at Jerusalem's holy sites intensifies, a mass pray-in with 100,000 expected participants from every corner of Israel and many overseas communities will be held at Rachel's Tomb - Kever Rachel – in Bethlehem on Thursday (October 29, 2009). The 11^th day of the Jewish month of Heshvan is commemorated around the world as the day on which the matriarch Rachel died en route to Efrata in Bethlehem.

For thousands of years Jews have traditionally turned to Rachel to pray for her children. This year organizers have called for special prayers to be dedicated to the release of Gilad Shalit, the Israeli solider held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since July 2006. "We call on Jews and non-Jews all over the world to dedicate their prayers on this holy day to Gilad's immediate release in good health," said Rabbi Yosef Schwinger, Director of Israel's Holy Sites Authority. “For generations Rachel has prayed for her children to return home safely, and we hope that this year our prayers will be answered and Gilad will return home to his family."

These prayers will take place from 11AM-12 Noon on Thursday.

Members of the Shalit family are expected to be present at the prayer