Meeting Jonathan Pollard in Jerusalem
There are many things that are charming about Jerusalem. Once, I read a book, “Letters From Jerusalem 1947-1948,” by a woman who lived here in the 1940s, fought during the War of Independence, and spoke about many of the challenges of living in Jerusalem at that time. One thing that struck me was that, then, Jerusalem was more of a small town, only about 100,000 Jews. The impression was that everyone knew one another and, if not literally, everyone was bound together as one.
Jerusalem has grown considerably, with nearly one million people now. As any small to mid-sized city, it has its challenges. Surely not everyone knows one another. But there’s still a charm in that you can be walking down the street or sitting in a restaurant and bump into someone you know, or know of.
Last month, I hosted a dinner as part of my Run for Zion program at Piccolino, a delicious and delightful central Jerusalem restaurant with great charm, amazing food, and an incredible story. All of a sudden, as one of my guests was speaking, I spotted someone I had known about and was connected to since my 20s.
As my guest was wrapping up his comments, I bolted toward the door to meet Jonathan Pollard. I had never met him before, but we had been connected long ago. Indirectly at least.
Jonathan Pollard is a former US navy intelligence analyst and Israeli spy. In 1984, Pollard provided to Israel numerous closely guarded secrets, including the National Security Agency’s manual on how the U.S. gathers intelligence, and disclosed the names of thousands of people who had cooperated with U.S. intelligence agencies. He was arrested in 1985, and agreed to a plea bargain, but was sentenced to life in prison despite the arrangement with the government.
Through a friend who was very close to his case, I knew things that were more private than most others. I prayed and advocated for him but always felt I never had done enough.
Pollard’s case hit close to home. In my advocacy, I always said that what happened to him was an injustice. He was arrested as a spy, but he was tried and sentenced as a Jew. Nobody had ever been arrested as a spy in the US as an agent of a US ally and received a sentence like that. Spies for enemy countries or adversaries who did more harm to the US have received lighter sentences and were released earlier. Pollard’s case screamed injustice.
Other than our names being the same, there was an interesting connection that I shared with him. In 1987 after he was sentenced, I began working at the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta. It didn’t help that in the midst of my security clearance I went to the Soviet Union, then very much not an ally of the US or Israel to put it mildly.
Immediately after I began work, I had a conversation with a senior Israeli diplomat. The topic was simple, and the message was clear. I was told almost word for word that my name was Jonathan and his name was Jonathan, and if anyone ever approached me to do anything that was not completely legitimate, much less espionage, to report it to that person immediately. Israel didn’t want another big spy mess, or even the implications of that.
I related this story to Jonathan Pollard. He’d never heard anything like it, but he wasn’t surprised.
I also told Jonathan that I needed to apologize. “Why,” he asked. I told him that I didn’t do enough when he was in prison to get him out. Then he interrupted me. “Did you daven (pray) for me,” he asked? “Yes. But…”
Jonathan cut me off again. His recently deceased and incredibly righteous wife, Esther, would tell people that anyone who prayed did all they could, and needed to. She envisioned that there was a cup that filled up, with each prayer figuratively being another drop. Each drop was needed and made a difference.
Jonathan’s graciousness and Esther’s wisdom comforted me. But I still feel I didn’t do enough. I thanked him for his commitment, and told him that I was sorry he had to endure all he did. How a man who suffered the way he did could be so kind and humble blew me away, but then he blew me away even more, “It was my privilege,” he said. I’m not sure I’ll ever understand how a man being in prison, much of it in solitary, for three decades, could ever be a privilege.
It’s timely at Passover to think about the many ways in our lifetime in which Jews have been imprisoned, physically like Pollard, or spiritually and culturally like in the Soviet Union.
I had always wanted to meet Jonathan Pollard and could have done so before if I had pushed. But I didn’t want to invade his privacy. He deserves not to be bothered by others, and to live and enjoy his life in freedom among his people.
However, Israel also failed him. As much as I can’t imagine being in prison under conditions that he suffered for so long, I also can’t imagine the feeling of abandonment and maybe fear as he was barred from entering the Israeli embassy when his arrest was imminent. He knew he had broken the law. Even if he was willing, Israel abandoned him. I always felt, and still do, that Israel handled that poorly.
He seems to have left the past in the past.
I asked if I could introduce him to my group and he agreed. Most had never heard of the hero I introduced. He spoke for just a moment but was charming, saying that Israel is the closest to heaven that they would be on this side of heaven.
I have always wondered if I would I do the same as Pollard did. If I had access to information to help my country and people, that was being withheld and in doing so posed an existential threat, would I break the law to save Israel. It’s hard to say no, but I just don’t know.
Jonathan Pollard is a Jewish hero and should always be celebrated as such. I understand why many American Jews are uncomfortable with him, because his case allowed people to charge Jews with dual loyalty. However, antisemites don’t need a Jonathan Pollard or any other excuse to come up with a libel against Israel. At the Passover Seder, we recount that in every generation an enemy arises to harm us, something Israel and Jews around the world feel palpably.
A hero is someone who does things that are above and beyond, in spite of consequences, or overcoming challenges even superhumanly. Jonathan Pollard is a hero. May he have the privilege to spend many more decades living and enjoying this side of heaven.
Jonathan Feldstein was born and educated in the U.S. and immigrated to Israel in 2004. He is married and the father of six. Throughout his life and career, he has become a respected bridge between Jews and Christians and serves as president of the Genesis 123 Foundation. He writes regularly on major Christian websites about Israel and shares experiences of living as an Orthodox Jew in Israel. He is host of the popular Inspiration from Zion podcast. He can be reached at firstpersonisrael@gmail.com.
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