Rabbi Shlomo Amar, Chief Sefardic Rabbi of Jerusalem and former Chief Sephardic Rabbi of Israel, sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin urging him to have mercy on Naama Issachar, an Israeli woman charged with illegally smuggling marijuana into Moscow.
Last week, Naama's father came to Rabbi Amar's home to request his blessing.
For several minutes, Rabbi Amar listened to Issachar's account of how Naama is imprisoned under harsh conditions, and showered him with blessings for Naama and encouragement for the family.
At the end of the visit, Rabbi Amar wrote a special letter to Putin, asking him to pardon Naama and cancel the remainder of her sentence.
In his letter, Rabbi Amar wrote: "To the great and honorable person, Mr. Vladimir Putin, President of the Great Country of Russia, may life and blessing be yours forever."
"I am turning to His Honor the President regarding the young lady Naama Issachar, who is in a Russian prison according to the court there. And I see the great suffering of her parents and family. And the truth is that her imprisonment arouses pain and sorrow for the entire nation of Israel. The family's eyes are looking towards you, that you should have mercy on her and grace her with your pardon. And may the blessing of the parents and all of Israel be a crown for your head. Please my honorable Master, from your great international seat of honor, may you have mercy on this girl and her family and say 'enough!' to their sorrow and suffering."
The letter was signed, "with blessings and great appreciation."
In April 2019, Naama was sentenced to 7.5 years in a Russian prison for possessing 9.5 grams of marijuana while passing through a Moscow airport.
In October 2019, Naama's mother told Galatz that she asked, "Mom, why do I need a pardon? That means I'm a criminal and I'm not."
However, though she claimed to have "no idea" how the drug got into her bag, Naama was recorded telling her friend that she's "in much bigger trouble" than the two had hoped for. She has also claimed that she never confessed to the smuggling attempt.