04 September 2006 World ORT joins international campaign for Israeli hostages World ORT is helping the international campaign for the release of the three Israeli soldiers held hostage by terrorists. At a two-hour meeting with the brothers of kidnapped soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, and the latters father, in Haifa yesterday, World ORT Deputy President Dr Jean de Gunzburg and World ORT Director General Robert Singer said the organisation would help to ensure that the soldiers plight was not forgotten. Ehuds brother, Yair, and Eldads brother, Eyal, and father, Tzvi, have such will and determination they will move every mountain they can to bring their brothers and son back. I really feel we need to support them, Dr de Gunzburg said. In the 12th century, the great Jewish philosopher, Maimonides, wrote that there was no duty as exalted as Pidyon Shevuyim (redemption of hostages) because a captive was considered to be not only destitute but also in a life threatening situation, he added. Now, in the 21st century, we are inspired by Jewish tradition to respond to this terrible situation in the most productive way we can. . World ORT will translate material about Ehud and Eldad, whose kidnap by Hezbollah in July sparked the war, and Gilad Schalit, who was kidnapped by Hamas in June, into various languages so that ORT students and activists around the world can learn about the situation. The most important thing for Yair and Eyal is that people around the world know about the hostages and show their solidarity, Mr Singer said. There is no information about the kidnapped soldiers; this situation is very important and urgent. He added: Its extremely important for an organisation like ours to help because we have people around the world who can help to raise awareness and ensure that these brave young men are not forgotten. Tzvi Regev, Dr Jean de Gunzburg, Tomer Weinberg, Robert Singer, Yair Goldwasser and Eyal Regev. The meeting with Ehud Goldwasser and Tzvi and Eldad Regev took place at the Rothschild Hospital in Haifa where they visited Tomer Weinberg, the ORT Braude College of Engineering student who was seriously wounded in the attack that resulted in the on-going hostage crisis. Mr Weinberg faces months of treatment before he can return to a normal life. His rehabilitation has already been aided by World ORTs gift of a laptop computer exercising his fingers on the keyboard is helping to restore the full use of his damaged right arm. I was very impressed by Tomers courage, Dr de Gunzburg said. Hes very modest and straightforward and I truly admire his determination to return to normal life and studies as soon as possible in spite of the horrible ordeal he went through. Eldad Regev, 26 Ehud Goldwasser,31. Gilad Schalit, 20. More details about the families struggle to bring Eldad, Ehud and Gilad home can be found at www.banim.org. World ORT, founded in 1880, is the worlds largest Jewish education and vocational training non-government organisation with some 270,000 students Jewish and non-Jewish in 58 countries.