Obama will not intervene to allow former spy to make aliyah
Newly Freed Jonathan Pollard‘s hopes of making aliyah were dealt a blow this week. Pollard, 61, a former naval intelligence analyst who sold US secrets to Israel, was freed on strict parole conditions last week, and the White House has confirmed that it will not intervene in the Justice Department process.
Some American Jewish groups, such as Agudath Israel and the Zionist Organisation of America, have asked President Barack Obama to let Pollard move to Israel to live with his second wife, while other groups simply welcomed his release.
Israeli leaders were asked to mute their jubilation at the end of Pollard’s prison term for espionage.
However, it was welcomed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who tweeted: “The people of Israel welcome the release of Jonathan Pollard… May this Sabbath bring [him] much joy and peace that will continue in the years and decades ahead.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
