David Luchins, The CIA, and Jonathan Pollard
December 24, 1999
by Esther Pollard
Both David Luchins and the CIA share a common goal - the public defamation of Jonathan Pollard. Just like the CIA, David Luchins has relentlessly slandered Jonathan Pollard, almost virtually unrestrained, for the last 15 years. Unlike the CIA, Luchins is being assisted - knowingly in a few cases, and unknowingly in most others - by the Jewish community.
Luchins is an assistant to Senator Daniel Moynihan. He "advises" the senator on Jewish affairs. He is also a vice president of the Orthodox Union. His titles and his close association with the OU provide him with a wealth of speaking engagements at synagogues and yeshivas across the US and in Israel. It is during these talks that Luchins outdoes the CIA in his character assassination of Jonathan Pollard.
Without fail, every time Luchins speaks at a yeshiva or a synagogue, Jonathan Pollard's attorney Larry Dub, or our Justice4JP office receive phone calls, letters and e-mails similar to the one below:
Jew4Truth@aol.com wrote:
Question:
Why is Jonathan alienated from his own family?
Question:
Is it true Jonathan could have been released
at least three times if he had signed a letter?
Question:
Is it true that Jonathan and Esther have their
own agenda which has alienated both family and friends.
An aide Of Senator Daniel Moynihan spoke at my son's Yeshiva today,
and gave a scathing presentation of how Jonathan Pollard is destroying
himself.
I would like your comments.
(signed) Howard
I answered the e-mail, originally not intending to publicize my response. I wrote:
From:Justice4JP <pollard@jonathanpollard.org
Please dear friend, sit for one day in Jonathan's place and then you will realize the utter wickedness of David Luchins' words.
Anyone, who sits for only one day in the hell that Jonathan sits in, would realize how insane and how evil it is to suggest that Jonathan Pollard would prefer to sit in prison rather than sign a letter, or that he and his wife have any agenda other than getting him home at once. Period. Paragraph.
As for the tragedy with his family, that will, G-d willing, be cleared up once he is a free man. In the meantime, Luchins' milking this tragedy to defame Jonathan is evil beyond words.
None of this is new to us. We have tried to stop it. Unfortunately the OU keeps giving its "hechsher" to Luchins. Our lawyers have tried for years, to the best of their ability, to stop him without derailing the focus of their time and energy. We can either fight Luchins or fight for Jonathan's freedom. Now that you know the truth, it is in your court re the Yeshiva as a venue for wicked lies and slander that endanger the life of one who is already defined as the mitzvah of pidyan shvuyim." (signed) Esther
Other Luchins' lies routinely reported to us include accusing Jonathan of not expressing remorse (grossly untrue) and of doing enormous damage to the United States (a charge for which there is no evidence, and for which he was never indicted.) These lies, when told to Jewish audiences by another Jew - one supposedly of good standing - do far more damage to Jonathan than when they are spewed by our natural adversaries in the CIA.
I did not want to make this letter public, nor to share this problem with the media. I told Jonathan it would just be giving Luchins more attention. He disagreed. He pointed out that for years we have tried to solve the problem quietly behind the scenes, both with Luchins and with the OU, and that it is now time to alert the Jewish community to come to our aid. He reminded me that recently the Jewish Press (NY) has once again blazed a trail in its pages, revealing the truth about David Luchins that will make it easier for people to understand the kind of individual we have been dealing with. I had to agree that Jonathan was right.
We cannot stop David Luchins from lying about Jonathan Pollard - and the OU won't. Now it is up to the Jewish community to refuse to be party to Luchins' lies.
As long as Jewish schools and synagogues welcome David Luchins to talk about Jonathan Pollard, he will continue to spread lies about Pollard. As long Jewish audiences tolerate David Luchins mentioning Pollard in any of his talks - even ones on totally unrelated subjects - he will continue to do damage to Jonathan Pollard's fight for freedom. It is up to those who plan such events, and up to those who attend such events to let Jewish leaders and Jewish organizers know that you will not participate if David Luchins is going to speak about Jonathan Pollard.
Alert as many people as you can. Let other planners know. Hold Jewish leaders accountable. If, after all of your best efforts, you find yourself at a lecture listening to David Luchins, and he slips in a lie or two about Jonathan Pollard, you now know the truth. And you know what to do about it. Right then. Right there. Please do it.
With our thanks and our blessings,
Esther and Jonathan Pollard