Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today expressed his hopes that his constituent, Aharon Sofer, of Lakewood, N.J., missing in Israel since Friday, Aug. 22, will be found and returned to his family, and called for the U.S. State Department to assist in every way possible.

“I learned about Aharon Sofer over the weekend and became very concerned for his well-being. I immediately sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry Monday urging that the State Department take every action to help in the effort to locate Aharon,” said Smith, a senior member of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee. “Today, in response, Secretary Kerry’s chief of staff, David Wade, assured me that the Department ‘was totally committed to assisting Aharon and his family,’” Smith said.

Smith and his staff have spoken to Aharon’s father and uncle both of whom are in Israel to assist and advance the search for Aharon in and around the forest in Jerusalem where he was last seen hiking on Friday.

“I hold to hope that Aharon will be located and returned to his family safely,” Smith said. “Until that day comes, he and his family are in our prayers, and I will work with the State Department to use all resources available to find him and bring him to safety.”

Click here to read the Smith letter to Kerry.

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