Pesach, the holiday that celebrates our freedom from slavery in Egypt, begins Saturday night, April 12th. 

During this joyful celebration, we cannot forget the 59 hostages who are not yet free. The Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi David Lau shlita, has composed a special tefillah last Pesach for the release of the hostages. It should be recited at the Seder, before Vehi Sheamda. 

Rabbi Lau said, “Each one of us has the holy obligation to feel the pain of our neighbor and to recite a special prayer during the momentous event of reading the Passover Haggadah, and to remember and pray for those hostages who are in pain and captivity”

Ematai has created a downloadable PDF of Rabbi Lau’s tefilla including the English translation. You can download it below.

We hope and pray the remaining hostages will be home before Pesach and that this tefilla will not be needed.