Father of kidnapped teen: Israel's prayers strengthen our children

Iris and Ori Yifrach face media with emotional address to their son; "Our hearts are torn and broken but we believe you will return home healthy and unharmed," mother says.

By JEREMY SHARON
Parents of kidnapped teen Eyal Yifrah (photo credit: THE JEWISH AGENCY)
Parents of kidnapped teen Eyal Yifrah
(photo credit: THE JEWISH AGENCY)
Iris and Ori Yifrach, the parents of abducted teenager Eyal Yifrach, faced the media on Monday with an emotional address to their son and to the nation and called on the public to continue to pray for their son and the two other kidnapped boys.
Naftali Fraenkel, 16, Gil-Ad Shaer, 16, and Eyal Yifrach, 19, were kidnapped by terrorists late Thursday night from a hitchhiking point in the Gush Etzion settlement block.
“Our Eyali, we love you,” said his mother. “The Jewish people is praying for you – look at the beauty of the Jewish people. Hug Gil-Ad and Naftali tightly. You are strong for them and for all of us. Our heart is torn, broken, but even so the heart believes, believes that you [all] will return home safely, in good health.”
Iris also addressed the Israeli public and the outpouring of support that has been sent to the families of the abducted boys.
“Our Jewish people, we love you with all our heart, we feel your warmheartedness to the bottom of our hearts and it reaches our children. This is what gives us strength. Thanks to your prayers, our Jewish people, all of us are strong.”
Eyal’s father, Ori, spoke to the press as well, and emphasized the family’s ongoing faith despite the suffering they are experiencing at this time.
“We believe this great unity of the people strengthens Eyal, Gil-Ad and Naftali,” he said. “These forces reach the children, and thanks to this they will be strong and steadfast. We are believers and the children of believers. We believe that everything that God does, He does for the good.”
Ori thanked the public for its support and called on the nation to continue to pray and to be united. He also thanked and blessed the security services personnel involved in the operation to rescue the boys so that they return home unharmed.
On Sunday, Bat-Galim, Gil-Ad’s mother, also spoke to the media and, like Eyal’s parents, thanked the public for its support and the security services for their efforts aimed at finding the boys.
“We are going through difficult times. I want to embrace the Jewish people with an embrace of gratitude, an embrace of thanks, an embrace of prayer,” said Bat-Galim. “You are giving us strength and resolve in these days, and we are transmitting all this positive energy to our Gil-Ad. Gil-Ad is strong as are his two friends.”