May the New Year bring to all our friends and family health, joy, prosperity and everything good in life. Rosh Hashanah world 2011 57721 'Release Gilad' Noam Shalit takes the case to free his son to the U.N. M ir iam Als te r/Flas h 90 The Schneiders Judi, Joe & Brandon Brett, Patty Moon, Caidey & Zack Arryn, Bryan, Ethan & Avery Molly, Brad, D.J. & Anna May the coming year be filled with health and happiness for all our family and friends. L'Shanah Tovah! Noam Shalit, right, wants his son's release to be a precondition to any vote in the U.N. on recognition of a Palestinian state. Sheri and David Jaffa Eden, Kevin, Skylar and Zachary Elbinger Sabrina, Brian, Jadyn, Kendyl and Reese Kaufman Dan Klein Jewish Telegraphic Agency N rI) THE GALLERY RESTAURANT ;4 Belgian Waffles "Best in the area" BREAKFAST • LUNCH • DINNER IL PEN 7 DAYS: MON.- SAT. 7 a.m.- 9:30 p.m. SUN. 8 045 a.m.- .m.- 9 p) Bloomfield Plaza • 6638 Telegraph Road and Maple • 248-851-0313 www.thegallery2.com All ■■■ "2.14 Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy new year OCINFINITY PRIMARY CARE Caring for you for life 1-855-437-7472 www.infinityprimarycare.com We specialize in providing comprehensive, high quality primary care for you and your family! Call or visit us on the web for a location near you. 1705470 60 September 22 • 2011 oam Shalit, the father of captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, wants his son's plight to be part of the discussion of Palestinian statehood at the United Nations later this month. In his view, Shalit's release should be a precondition of any vote at the United Nations on recognition of a Palestinian state. Shalit was in New York earlier this month meeting with U.N. ambassa- dors from various nations, including pro-Palestinian ones, to make his case. Whether or not they'll take his view into consideration is an open ques- tion. But in at least one corner, Shalit won considerable sympathy: The City Council of New York proclaimed Sept. 7 Gilad Shalit Day. The point of Shalit's trip was to keep the issue of his son's captivity from being forgotten amid world events, and to use those events as a lever to secure Gilad's release. "We hope he'll be home for Rosh Hashanah:' Shalit told a meeting of the New York City Council, saying a prisoner-exchange deal between Israel and Hamas is "the only way." In a 30-minute interview with JTA last Friday, Shalit talked about the need to put pressure on all sides using whatever tools are available. In the more than five years since Gilad Shalit was captured in a cross-border raid on the Israel-Gaza frontier in June 2006, the Shalit family has done all it can to make sure the plight of the captive sol- dier remains high on Israelis' minds. Shalit and his wife, Aviva, set up a protest tent opposite the prime min- ister's residence in Jerusalem that has not budged in more than two years. They've held nationwide marches, dis- rupted Independence Day ceremonies and prompted myriad campaigns to pressure the Israeli government to cut a deal with Hamas, including a recent one for Shalit's 25th birthday. There are Free Shalit wristbands, bumper stickers and banners. Last week, Shalit met in the United States with American Jewish organiza- tions to strategize on how to lobby the Obama administration to put more pressure on the Palestinian Authority, which he believes can pressure Hamas. Shalit dismisses the notion that the Palestinian Authority cannot influence Hamas or does not share responsibil- ity for his son's captivity. "How can they say they have no leverage on Hamas?" he said. "The Palestinian Authority is going to the U.N. to appeal for one Palestinian entity, not two. They want one state for the Palestinian people. The Palestinian Authority cannot absolve itself of responsibility; it holds responsibility for all the Palestinian people" Release Gilad on page 62