Search for Yeshiva Student Intensifies, Feared Abducted

As the search for the missing yeshiva bochur in Jerusalem enters its fifth day, the father of Aron Sofer is asking the public to keep his son foremost in their minds and deeds.

“Please daven for Aron ben Chulda and be mikabel ‘ayn od milvado’,” Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Sofer told VIN News.  “Hashem is the only source of yeshua and everything comes from Hashem. It is clear that Hashem has to be the one to bring the yeshua here.”

The Sofer family is offering a reward of 100,000 NIS to anyone who can locate their son and anyone with information about Aron’s whereabouts is asked to call 02-539-1520 or the Israeli police hotline at 100.

The Sofer family lives on 5th Street in Lakewood and Aron is the sixth of ten children.  According to Rabbi Shmuel Tendler of Lakewood, a former chavrusa of Rabbi Sofer who is serving as the family’s spokesperson, Aron’s 23rd birthday is tonight on the first day of Elul.

“Aron is very close with his parents and he calls his mother every day to wish her a good morning and tell her what his schedule is going to be,” said Rabbi Tendler.  “He is a serious ben Torah and the ultimate mentsh.  There is a tremendous bond between Aron and his parents, who have hearts of gold.  Right now they are going through tremendous agmas nefesh and they are very thankful for those who are expending their energies in this massive search. Hopefully with the help of Hashem, Aron will come home safely.”

The search for Aron involves hundreds of yeshiva bochurim as well as rescue units who have been searching the area where Aron went missing.  Reports that surfaced yesterday that some of Aron’s belongings had been found have proved to be untrue.  According to Eli Beer of United Hatzolah Israel police are focusing most of their efforts on intelligence.

“They have different means that they use to find things out,” explained Beer.  “They are looking into every lead they have and the Shin Bet is very involved also but there are no leads yet.  This is very difficult.  This is not a kid who ran away.”

Beer urged all the volunteers who are searching to take water and extra phone batteries with them and expressed the hope that the yeshivos will continue allowing their bochurim to continue in the search despite the start of the new zman tonight.

According to CBS reports, prayer vigils continue in Lakewood for Sofer’s safe return and a statement released by Congressman Chris Smith called upon Secretary of State John Kerry to urge the State Department to become actively involved in the search for Sofer.

A statement released this morning by Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey expressed his concern over Sofer’s disappearance and his commitment to work with the State Department, the United States Embassy and Consular offices in Israel as well as the Israeli Embassy in Washington D.C.

Lakewood officials have scheduled a press conference this morning outside police headquarters on 3rd Street.