Aviva Lerner's Appeal to Jewish Students:
"We Must Help Pollard: Enough Is Enough"

Aviva Lerner - As published in the Jewish Voice and Opinion NJ April 1998 Edition

FAR ROCKAWAY, NEW YORK

My family often receives e-mails from a committee for Jonathan Pollard, who is an American Jew accused of handing over secretive American information to Israel. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole, 13 years of which he has already served, seven of them in solitary confinement.

Those 13 years that he has already served are more than twice the number of years serviced by any other person who has committed a similar crime. What bothers me so much is that Jonathan Pollard's punishment does not fit his crime.

I did some research looking for a clarification. However, I then realized there is no sensible explanation for the length of Jonathan Pollard's imprisonment, especially since he was only trying to help Israel, an ally of the United States.

So, I am writing this letter asking you to please join the Jewish community in helping Jonathan Pollard. You can involve yourself in the mitzvah of redeeming captives. One way to help is by writing letters to President Clinton expressing our feelings of injustice on this issue.

Thank you in advance for your support of this important cause.

For more information, contact me at (718) 868-1896. The fax number is (718) 327-0307. My e-mail address is: cpaslt@juno.com.

You, too, can be put on Jonathan Pollards e-mail list. Email your request.

Students in junior and senior high school can follow these steps to have a part in the tremendous mitzvah of redeeming the captive:

1. Write a letter to President Clinton asking for the release of Jonathan Pollard from jail. Some points you may want to include in your letter:
   1. We acknowledge that Jonathan Pollard has done wrong and so does he. However, the amount of time he has already served in prison is more than enough to pay for his crime.
   2. Pollard is an American citizen and we should not show hostility toward him.
   3. Pollard has served in prison more than twice the number of years served by any other person accused of committing a similar crime.
   4. Pollard was spying only to get information to aid Israel, an ally country of the US.

2. Send one copy of your letter to: President Bill Clinton, The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, DC 20500

3. Fax me another copy of the same letter (718) 327-0307. I hope to collect thousands of letters to present at one time to President Clinton.

Thank you in advance for your support of this important cause.

Aviva Lerner,
Far Rockaway, New York

Bio Note: Aviva Lerner is the daughter of Rabbi Pesach Lerner, executive Vice President of Young Israel (New York). Rabbi Lerner has long been a staunch advocate of equal justice for Jonathan Pollard