Israel's president, Yitzhak Herzog, visited a cheder of the Gur Hasidim in Beit Shemesh and prayed with the first grade children for the return of the hostages.
The president sat in the classroom with the rabbis and students and said to the children: "You are brothers and sisters to the children of the State of Israel, the fact that you are praying so hard for the return of the hostages to their homes soon is a very great mitzvah, because everything must be done to return the hostages to their homes as quickly as possible. Be brave and bold; bring them back and get them out of slavery to redemption as quickly as possible."
Herzog thanked the children: "I want to say thank you and keep praying with all your might, you are doing a great mitzvah of loving Israel" The children sang in front of the president: "Our brothers, all the House of Israel, those who are in trouble and in captivity, standing between the sea and the land, Hashem will have mercy on them and bring them out of trouble to prosperity and from slavery to redemption."