Hirsch & Saperstein Reaffirm Reform's Call for Release of Pollard

Leaders From North America's Largest Jewish Organization Meet With Jonathan Pollard in Prison

Religious Action Center and ARZA / WORLD UNION - Media Release - March 20, 2000

Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, and Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, executive director of ARZA /WORLD UNION, North America, visited Jonathan Pollard on February 8, 2000 in Butner Prison in North Carolina.

"We had a long, in depth discussion which lasted for much of the afternoon. Pollard reaffirmed his remorse for the deeds he committed," said Rabbis Saperstein and Hirsch. "We in turn reaffirmed the Reform Movement's position, as adopted in a 1993 Biennial resolution, urging Pollard's release for time served. We discussed the current political situation and its impact on his chances for release."

"In this final year of the Clinton presidency, we will continue to convey this position and advocate for his release in all appropriate forums." continued Rabbis Saperstein and Hirsch.

Pollard, a former U.S. Navy intelligence officer convicted of spying for the Israeli Government, has been serving his jail sentence since 1985. For nearly 8 years Pollard was held in solitary confinement at the maximum security Marion Federal Penitentiary in Illinois. Since 1993*, he has been held in the Butner Prison in North Carolina, where he has been allowed to work and mingle with other inmates.

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*Justice4JP Note:

The fact that Jonathan Pollard is held in open population - not in solitary confinement - confirms that the Government knows full well that he poses no threat. If the Government really believed the allegations it routinely "leaks" to the media about Jonathan Pollard, he would be held in solitary confinement and his access to the outside world severely curtailed - which is clearly not the case. ]

The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and ARZA / WORLD UNION, North America, represents 1.5 million Reform Jews in 895 congregations across North America. ARZA / WORLD UNION, North America, represents Reform Jews on matters pertaining to Israel, Zionism, and the international Jewish community. The Religious Action Center is the Washington office of the Union of Hebrew Congregations and the Central Conference of American Rabbis. ARZA / WORLD UNION, North America is an affiliate of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations and the North American representative of the World Union for Progressive Judaism.


See Also:
  • Calls for Pollard's Release
  • Jewish Unity Page