Agudah rabbis call for Pollard's release

JTA - Breaking News - February 7, 2007

Agudath Israel of America's rabbinical councils called on "all caring Jews" to appeal to President Bush to free convicted spy Jonathan Pollard.

"Mr. Pollard's life sentence - a penalty far more severe than that imposed upon others who committed similar or even more serious crimes - is difficult to comprehend," said the statement issued Monday by the fervently Orthodox group's Council of Torah Sages, Rabbinic Presidium and nearly 100 signatories from its Conference of Synagogue Rabbis.

"At this time, it appears that all legal avenues through the judicial system have been shut off. Only the president of the United States, by granting Mr. Pollard executive clemency, can save him from spending the rest of his life behind bars."

Pollard was sentenced to life in 1987 for spying for Israel.

Agudath Israel says it will join other Jewish organizations in asking its members to phone the White House daily between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. EST until Passover.

The phone-in is primarily organized by the National Council of Young Israel.