Jonathan Pollard's Elul Appeal to Chief Rabbi of IDF

Justice4JP Release - September 5, 2004

TO: Rabbi Yisrael Weiss, Chief Rabbi of the IDF
FROM: Jonathan Pollard

VIA FACSMILIE

DATE: 15 Elul 5764, September 1, 2004 B"H

Message:

Dear Rabbi Weiss,

I am writing personally to ask you to come and visit me as soon as possible before Yom Kippur. Permit me to explain the urgency.

Ever since you became Chief Rabbi of the IDF, I have repeatedly sent requests to you via 3rd parties imploring you to come to see me. It is deeply troubling that I have never received a positive response or a visit from you.

I am an Israeli agent in captivity, completing my 19th year of incarceration in an American prison, for my activities on behalf of Israel. I served in LAKAM, an authorized intelligence bureau under the auspices of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, which you undoubtedly know. By virtue of both the Geneva Convention and my status as an Israeli agent, I clearly fall under your purview.

It is our tradition that the prayers of a prisoner (like the prayers of the widow and the orphan) are precious to HaShem because He is our Protector. It is now mid way through the month of Elul, a time of great spiritual sensitivity for all the Jewish People. This is a time, we are taught, that The Almighty personally draws close to hear our teffilot. The anguish of 19 years of abandonment cannot help but rend the Heavens when I pour my heart out in prayer to The Almighty.

We are taught that the mitzvah of pidyan shvuyim is so precious to HaShem that it devolves upon every single Jew, without exception. G-d forbid that any Jew should come to sin because of me. G-d forbid that any Jew be punished because he unknowingly ignored the mitzvah of pidyan shvuyim.

Heaven, we are taught, holds those in a position of leadership to stricter account. Jewish leaders are held responsible for the sins of the Klal if they fail to do everything in their power to educate the People and exhort them to fulfill their religious obligations. G-d forbid that an aspersion be cast by Heaven on your religious leadership because of your failure to act on the mitzvah of pidyan shvuyim. That is why I realized that I must write to you personally, one more time, without relying on third parties, to ask you to come and see me as soon as possible.

I am taking special care to send this letter via my attorney, Larry Dub, to ensure that it reaches you. I ask that you respond in writing without delay. My attorney has promised to immediately relay your written response to me.

Because of the powerful spiritual implications for all of Israel, I urge you to come before Yom Kippur.

Stay well,
Jonathan