Jonathan Pollard’s friends, along with people who were active in the headquarters for his release from prison, gave him a particularly moving gift for his 68th birthday. Surprising him, over 2,000 people participated in a special initiative and undertook to perform a good deed in his honor and in the merit of his late wife, Esther Pollard.
The names of all the participants were printed on a large and carefully-designed photo that was presented to Pollard. He was very moved by the gesture.
Activists for Pollard's release gave him the gift in a special ceremony at the Seven Arches Hotel on the Mount of Olives, where Pollard arrived as part of the activity of the Abia Foundation led by Israel Goldberg to strengthen the Jewish presence on the Mount of Olives.
Pollard thanked them, saying, "I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who participated. You could not have done anything better for me on my birthday than honoring my wife, may she rest in peace, and honoring the holy Land of Israel because that is what she was about, the Land of Israel for the People of Israel according to the Torah of Israel, so this is the best birthday present because it reminds me to who and what I was married."
According to him, "She was a hero, she was my teacher and she will always direct me on the right path to keep me on the path, that's what she did in her life and that's what she will continue to do. Therefore, I want to thank all these wonderful people who did good deeds for the uplifting of Esther Yocheved's soul and I hope we will all continue to do good deeds for each other and for the country, Amen."
Adi Ginzburg, one of the organizers of the initiative, said: "Jonathan and Esther paid an unimaginable price for Jonathan's activities for the security of the State of Israel and the struggle for its liberation. All of us who prayed and fought over the years will continue to embrace Jonathan and, with the help of God, we will find the way to continue with Jonathan and Esther’s important message: unity among the people of Israel in our land, with a connection to our identity and tradition."