L: Gitty Kleinerman with the balloon. R: Moishe Kleinerman
L: Gitty Kleinerman with the balloon. R: Moishe KleinermanAriel Elharar, courtesy of the family

Moishe Kleinerman, a 17-year-old yeshiva student who went missing over 200 days ago, will mark his birthday on Thursday night.

Gitty Kleinerman, Moishe's mother, went Thursday morning to buy him a birthday present and a balloon with the words "Mazal tov," or, "congratulations," on it.

"Tonight, with G-d's help, will be our Moishe's 17th birthday," Gitty wrote. "Please pray hard that we merit to embrace him and bless him later today. His name for prayers is Avraham Moshe, the son of Shmuel and Gittel."

Ariel Elharar, a social activist who has been working with the family, tweeted, "Today is the 17th birthday of the missing boy Moishe Kleinerman. His mother Gitty went out to buy him a balloon and a present."

"How sad it is to think that there is no one to receive the present and the balloon, and that no one in the world knows where her Moishe is. Our sweet Moishe, congratulations."

The Israel Dog Unit, a nonprofit specializing in search and rescue that has been coordinating the effort to find Moishe, commented that they intend to continue the search. "We are not giving up. We are continuing the search, through the harshest of terrain and conditions, and exploring a variety of potential leads. We are devoting our best efforts to the operation, and praying to hear good news."