National "Call for clemency campaign" for Jonathan Pollard launched

January 7, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Aaron Troodler
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NATIONAL "CALL FOR CLEMENCY CAMPAIGN" FOR JONATHAN POLLARD

A nationwide grass-roots effort on behalf of Jonathan Pollard was officially launched today. The "Call for Clemency Campaign" is intended to remind the White House of Jonathan Pollard's plight and to push for a commutation of his prison sentence. The "Call for Clemency Campaign" is a community project of the National Council of Young Israel.

As part of the "Call for Clemency Campaign," people across the United States are encouraged to call President Barack Obama on a daily basis to request the release of Jonathan Pollard and to tell the White House that 26 years in prison is more than enough. People can contact the White House between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM EST by phone at 202-456-1414; by fax at 202-456-2461; and via e-mail at president@whitehouse.gov.

There has been a flurry of activity in recent weeks relative to the plight of Jonathan Pollard. In addition to the numerous legal professionals, jurists, former U.S. administration officials, and elected officials who have openly called for Jonathan Pollard's prison sentence to be commuted, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally asked President Obama to free Jonathan Pollard.

In addition, a broad-based interfaith coalition comprised of more than 500 prominent religious and communal leaders from a wide array of Jewish and Christian communities sent a letter to President Obama and called on him to commute the sentence of Jonathan Pollard.

Pollard, who just began his 26th year in federal prison, has repeatedly expressed his remorse publicly and in private in letters to many Presidents and others. His health has deteriorated significantly during his more than two-and-a-half decades in prison. In addition, Pollard's life sentence is grossly disproportionate when compared to the sentences of others who have spied for allied nations. Countless elected officials, individuals from the national intelligence arena and the legal world, as well as religious and community leaders, have described Pollard's sentence as excessive, and have called for his sentence to be commuted.

"There are people across the United States and around the world who have expressed interest in helping Jonathan Pollard," said Rabbi Pesach Lerner, the Executive Vice President of the National Council of Young Israel, "This grass-roots campaign gives people the opportunity to participate in a respectful and coordinated effort intended to help enable Jonathan Pollard to return home to Israel and reunite with his family after having spent a quarter of a century in a prison cell."

For more information about the "Call for Clemency Campaign," email freepollardnow@youngisrael.org, or visit www.youngisrael.org or jonathanpollard.org.