Question: Jonathan Pollard is serving his 22nd year in prison for espionage. Do you think his actions warranted a life sentence?

 

 


Yes and no. I understand this is a sensitive issue because he’s a Jew and Israel is involved, but you have to examine the issue here. He was a spy caught committing a crime against the country of his citizenship. Perhaps there’s more to the story than we know. The nature of the information he obtained is apparently what contributed to his receiving a life sentence.


– David Stern, student



 


 

No. Bigger spies got a lesser sentence. I believe that because he’s a Jew he was singled out. Caspar Weinberger, the secretary of defense at the time, was anti-Israel and pushed for a life sentence because he had his own agenda. In order for Pollard to be released, we need to elect a president with guts.


– Chaim Klein, retired

 



 

No. There’s a double standard. America was trying to set an example with his life sentence. Definitely Pollard’s being Jewish and the country being Israel were factors for his harsh sentence. They should let him out, but they won’t.


– Rubin Elnatanov, barber



 


 

No. He spied for Israel, an ally of the U.S. Nobody ever served such a long sentence for giving information to a friendly country. The Israeli media are not focused on his cause, which is perhaps another reason why no matter how many petitions we sign, he will never get out.


– Shea Neuman, owner, Command Copy

 

 



 


Yes. He is an American citizen who betrayed his country. I admit he’s probably serving more than he should because he’s Jewish. As Jews, we obviously want to see one of our own released, but can we ignore the fact that he wasn’t loyal to America, his country of birth?


– Baruch Tolmasov, barber

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Ita Yankovich is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in various Jewish and secular publications. She also teaches English and Literature at Kingsborough College and Touro College. She can be reached at [email protected].