The Schalit family, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and MDA planned events in honor of captive soldier Gilad Schalit's upcoming 24th birthday, his fifth in captivity.

An event for women is set to take place on Schalit's August 28 birthday, at the Schalit family's tent in front of the Prime Minister's Office.

In an open letter, Aviva Schalit, Gilad's mother, writes: "I turn to you with a modest request. As a mother, sister, wife, woman, human - help me bring my son home. Gilad the soldier went out on a mission for the State of Israel. Did the State of Israel forget him?"

The letter continues to invite women across Israel to a birthday event that will feature MK Dalia Itzik, MK Orit Noked, Nobel Prize winner Prof. Ada Yonath, author Yochi Brandes, singer Yardena Arazi and actress-model Yael Abekasis.

The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations launched a letter-writing campaign last week, to send birthday greetings to Schalit.

MDA will gather the cards, which are expected to arrive from around the world. The greetings will be passed on to the International Committee of the Red Cross, who will then give them to Hamas for delivery to Schalit.

Supporters may send Schalit birthday greetings through Giladgreetings.org , a Web site built in honor of the occasion. A billboard calling for Schalit's release will be put up in Times Square for the week before Rosh Hashanah, which begins on September 8, the Conference of Presidents said.