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August 28, 2006
Dearest Gilad ~ May you come home safe soon!
It is your 20th Birthday today, Gilad.
May peace and freedom be the air you breathe very soon.
You are in my thoughts and prayers.
When you are released and you WILL be, you have to be,
then everyday will be your birthday. We celebrate your life
and we will celebrate your release too.
Wild Thing
Neighbors of the family described the Shalits as "extremely quiet, gentle and nice."The family were among the founders of the small community of Mitzpe Hila in the Lower Galilee, a popular retreat for Israelis seeking bed and breakfast establishments in the country's north.
"He's such a great kid," said the neighbor. "This is very hard for all of us. We are in shock since we heard about the incident," she said.
"He's one of the funniest people I've ever met," Shalit's friend Dor Peled told Israel Radio. "He loves sports, soccer; he's very athletic." Peled said. He added that Shalit was a good friend, who had never done anyone a bad turn.
A student who excelled in mathematics, Shalit once sat with him for two hours before an exam, Peled said.
"What I couldn't learn in weeks he taught me in a couple of hours."
Ilana Zrihen, another neighbor, said the family was just waiting to hear that their son would be home soon. "Gilad is a magical kid, quiet and cheerful, everyone's friend," she told Israel Radio. "May he come home soon," she added.
In Jerusalem, thousands gathered at the Western Wall to pray for Shalit's safe return.
A dedicated basketball fan, he would get up in the middle of the night to watch NBA games broadcast live from the United States.
"He's the quiet one, always smiling," said Matan Zrihen, 16, who grew up next door. "He was never one of those kids who were loud or made trouble. He's very gentle."
He is the first Israeli soldier captured by Palestinians since Nachson Wachsman in 1994. Early on Sunday morning, June 25, 2006, he was captured by Palestinians who attacked an army post in Israel after crossing the border from the Gaza Strip into Israel via a tunnel near the Kerem Shalom crossing at the south Gaza Strip border. During the morning attack, two of his friends also Israel Defense Force soldiers were killed and four others wounded, He suffered a broken left hand and a light shoulder wound.
Thank you Linda for letting me know it is Gilad Shalit's 20th Birthday today.
Posted by Wild Thing at August 28, 2006 10:55 AM
Comments
Uh, what was the war about??
Posted by: TomR at August 28, 2006 12:35 PM
Thank you Ms. Thing, for making this post.
Posted by: LindaSoG at August 29, 2006 04:41 PM
