IDF Rabbi Composes Prayer for Pollard

Hanan Greenberg - YNET - [English News] - April 9, 2005

Army's chief rabbi Yisrael Weiss meets with imprisoned spy during recent visit to U.S.; calls Pollard "true hero"

TEL AVIV

The prayer was distributed among IDF soldiers so they may pray for the release of Pollard, an American Navy Intelligence researcher and analyst who was arrested in 1985 and later charged with spying on behalf of Israel.

IDF rabbinate officials told Ynet that Rabbi Weiss had met with Pollard in prison during a recent trip to the U.S.

During the meeting, Pollard asked the rabbi to compose a prayer for his prompt release, they said.

The officials added everything was done with the approval of senior Israeli security authorities.

'We hope to see Jonathan in Israel soon'

Adi Ginzburg of The Committee to Bring Jonathan Pollard Home said "pursuant to the meeting Rabbi Weiss sent Pollard a letter stating a true hero was revealed to me - humane, opinionated, a proud and believing Jew'."

"Unfortunately comes so late, but it is a formal recognition by the IDF of the importance of Pollard's efforts," he said. "This support is important to us during this juncture in which the prime minister is traveling to the U.S. without the petition for Pollard's release; at least someone remembers Jonathan."

Ginzburg added: "We know (Prime Minister Ariel) Sharon is willing to pay a heavy price for things that are important to him, like (Elhanan) Tennenbaum and the disengagement. We hope to see Jonathan in Israel soon."