More Jewish Organizations Join Call for Termination of Pollard’s Parole
By Avraham Weissman Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at 12:11 am
https://hamodia.com/2019/11/12/jewish-organizations-join-call-termination-pollards-parole/

NEW YORK -

A week after three national Jewish organizations issued separate pleas to
President Trump to terminate the parole of Jonathan Pollard so he can
properly care for his wife who is suffering from advanced-stage metastatic
cancer, two more Jewish organizations sent their own letters to the
President urging him to do so.

The National Council of Young Israel (NCYI), and the Igud
Harabonim/Rabbinical Alliance of America, joined Agudath Israel of America,
the Orthodox Union, and the Coalition for Jewish Values in pleading with the
president on behalf of the Pollards.

The Jewish organizations stressed that the severe parole restrictions that
were imposed on Mr. Pollard after he was released from prison nearly four
years ago constrain him from being able to provide his wife, Mrs. Esther
Pollard, with the assistance and care that she desperately needs at this
very difficult and trying time.

In a letter signed by Farley Weiss, the National President of NCYI,
representing the Board of Directors, the century-old organization pointed
out that “Jonathan Pollard was released from jail after serving 30 years for
giving classified information to an ally, a crime in which the average
sentence was less than 10 years.

“The onerous parole conditions barring Pollard from traveling outside a
small area, requiring him to wear a GPS bracelet 24/7 and confining him to
his apartment from 7 p.m. – 7 a.m. every single day, are unjust and wrong.
Former National Security Adviser, Bud McFarlane, and former head of Senate
Intelligence, Dennis DeConcini, in a bipartisan fashion, signed an affidavit
to the court stating that Pollard was no longer a threat and should have
these parole conditions removed,” the letter continued.

“The unjust parole conditions on Pollard are impairing his ability to
properly care for his wife and her illness. This situation could potentially
be life-threatening should she have a medical emergency during a time he is
confined to his home or if she needs to travel outside his permitted area.

“We call on the President and/or Attorney General to immediately end the
unjust parole conditions of the curfew, the GPS bracelet and the travel
restrictions. We also request that the President and/or Attorney General end
all additional parole conditions and give Pollard his full freedom after 34
years of incarceration. We ask that action be taken immediately due to the
urgent health needs of his wife,” the Young Israel letter said.

“On behalf of the Igud Harabonim/Rabbinical Alliance of America, whose more
than 950 Rabbis serve in Rabbinical positions nationwide, I write to you
with the request that you grant leniency on humanitarian grounds to Jonathan
Pollard and terminate his parole situation so that he may care for his wife,
Esther,” the letter by Rabbi Yaakov Spivak, a Member of Presidium of the
Igud, said.

“Mr. President, we know that you are a compassionate person, and ask that
you have mercy on Jonathan Pollard and his seriously ill wife, by commuting
Mr. Pollard’s sentence,” Rabbi Spivak wrote.

Readers are asked to continue to daven for Esther Yocheved bas Raizel
Brachah.