Issachar and Pollard: Come home

“Russia to Issachar: No Hebrew” (October 29) reports on the outrageously disproportionate 7½-year prison sentence of Naama Issachar for 9.5 grams of cannabis in her checked luggage in an attempt to have Russian hacker Aleksey Burkov, who was arrested in Israel in 2015 suspected of cybercrimes, returned to Russia rather than extradited to the US.

While the cases of Issachar and Jonathan Pollard are vastly different, I am disappointed that before, during, and after the High Holy Days and Sukkot, not one word about Pollard – other than an unpublicized second plea to our prime minister from Education Minister Rafi Peres to beseech US President Donald Trump to let the Pollards come home for the holidays – appeared in the Israeli media. Aren’t the Pollards deserving to be reported upon with renewed, intense efforts to free them from their onerous, parole shackles?

Sadly, Jews in Israel and the US, their organizations and leaders let holiday season pass without so much as a “Shana Tova” and/or “Chag Sameach” to Jonathan Pollard and his critically ill wife Esther, with an added prayer for her health. There was no public plea to Trump, especially with thousands of American tourists in Israel for the holidays – and US senior adviser Jared Kushner in the neighborhood – to terminate Pollard’s parole.

Given our present political state of affairs, it is hard to imagine that our Knesset members and, yet-to-be-decided PM have a plea for Pollard’s release high on their list of priorities. So, it is up to each of us to cry out loud and clear to Trump, “Mr. President, the joyous holiday of Hanukkah is approaching. Please allow the nation of Israel and Jews worldwide to celebrate the holiday of light with the Pollards in Israel. Commute Jonathan Pollard’s parole so he can light his menorah with Esther at his side in the Holy Land.

SHOLOM (SIDNEY) L. STRAJCHER

Jerusalem

What is all the news concerning Naama Issachar about? She took a banned substance across international borders and must pay for it.

Granted, the punishment is out of proportion and there should be sympathy for her mother and family, but Issachar is guilty. The damage that she has done and is doing to Israel internationally is incalculable.

If Israel on her behalf gives in to Russian blackmail and trades Aleksey Burkov for her release, it will risk damaging the relationship with Israel’s best friend and ally, the USA.

Justice is blind. Issachar is considered an adult. When you break the law, you pay for it. She is no Israeli heroine!

ISSY DYKMAN Ganei Tikva