Pidyon shvuyim

Pidyon shvuyim is a Hebrew phrase that means "redemption of captives." It refers to the Jewish tradition of helping to free someone who has been taken captive against their will.

Imagine your friend got kidnapped and taken away by some bad guys. You would feel really sad and worried about them. You might want to do something to help them, like call the police or tell their family.

In Jewish tradition, if someone is taken captive, it's important to try to help them too. Sometimes this means paying money to the person who kidnapped them to get their friend back. This is called "pidyon shvuyim."

In the past, bandits and enemies of the Jewish people would often capture Jewish people and hold them for ransom or to use them as slaves. In these situations, other Jewish people would work together to raise money to pay for the captive's release.

Today, pidyon shvuyim can still happen when someone is held hostage or imprisoned unjustly in a foreign country. It's a way for the Jewish community to come together and show solidarity with those in need.