Former Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard took part in a memorial event honoring the late former Chief Sephardic Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu.

The event, which was held in Jerusalem Thursday, marked the 12th anniversary of the passing of Rabbi Eliyahu, who served as one of Israel’s two chief rabbis, alongside Rabbi Avraham Shapira, from 1983 to 1993.

“I am very honored to be here to celebrate the hilula [anniversary of passing] of my rabbi, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu…and to be with so many of this followers and students and family members,” Pollard told Israel National News.

“I hope that by honoring him today, as we will on every occasion of his hilula in the future, we will remember exactly what he stood for and exactly what he lived for – and that was Am Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael Al Pi Torat Yisrael [The Jewish people, the Land of Israel, following the Torah of Israel].”

“That is what we have to keep in mind going forward because that was his lesson for all of us.”