I don’t usually do this sort of thing. But this email arrived in my inbox this morning and these parents could use our help.

Dear Friends,

We have very troubling news in our synagogue community today. Zachary Manning, 15, is missing.

His parents, Lawrence and Phyllis and his sister Kelsey are desperate to find him. They want him home. They want him to know that they love him and they want him to call.

NYPD Det. Angel Martinez at 845-820-8435 is on the case (number 4089). You can also call the private detective Gil Alba is also working on the case, and can be reached at 914.646.1302. The NY Post blotter has already picked his story up. http://www.nypost.com/news/nypdblotter/nypdblotter.htm. Those of you with media connections — please think about putting this story out.

The family is asking help from AC members in one practical and one spiritual way:

1. We have several hundred missing persons flyers with Zachary’s picture. Please come to Ansche Chesed, take a handful and paper them everywhere you can. In particular: if a few people have a little time to volunteer, the Mannings need people to paper the subways. Can you ride the 2/3 train line into Brooklyn or the 1 train line up and down, or go into Grand Central and Penn stations to paper the areas there? Millions of people will see these flyers and may see Zachary. This is of the utmost importance.

2. Larry and Phyllis ask for your hearts in prayer for their family and for Zachary, whose Hebrew name is Reuven ben Pesyel. You might say Psalm 63 on his behalf, said by King David while lost in the desert, about having faith in returning home, or Psalm 84, about the strength needed to walk through the valley of tears. Or say this verse, from the end of Lamentations: Hashivenu Adonay eylekha ve’nashuva. Hadesh yameinu kekedem. Return us toward you God, and we will return home. Renew our days, as before.