The ribbons are attached to a piece of cardboard with photos of the three soldiers, as well as the names of four other soldiers missing in action since the 1980s and an Israeli businessman abducted by Hezbollah in October.

Jewish federations across North America have joined the campaign, and hundreds of thousands of the ribbons have been distributed in the Jewish community.

"It's a way of showing the families that the worldwide Jewish mishpoche cares about this and will not forget their boys," Nasatir said.

Several Israelis have been missing for years. The most famous is air force navigator Ron Arad, who was captured by Shi'ite gunmen when his plane was shot down over Lebanon in 1986. He was sold to another Muslim group in Iran, and has since disappeared.

Three soldiers — Zachary Baumel, Zvi Feldman and Yehuda Katz — have been missing since a 1982 tank battle in Lebanon.

The Shi'ite Muslim militia Hezbollah abducted soldiers Benny Avraham, Adi Avitan and Omar Souad while they were patrolling Israel's northern border with Lebanon on Oct. 7. Several weeks later they abducted Elhanan Tannenbaum, an Israeli businessman whom they lured to Lebanon.