BDE: Esther Pollard, Wife Of Jonathan Pollard, Passes Away From Coronavirus At Age 68

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Esther Pollard, wife of Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard, died on Monday from coronavirus-related complications at the age of 68. Pollard had battled breast cancer for years. Last week she was hospitalized in Jerusalem’s Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital after being infected with coronavirus but her condition deteriorated and she passed away early Monday morning.

The levaya is scheduled for 4 p.m. Monday at the capital’s Har Hamenuhot cemetery.

“I did not imagine in my worst nightmares that I would lose Esther. After decades of fighting for my release, I felt so helpless that I could not help her in her struggle for life,” Jonathan Pollard told Israeli media.

Esther, formerly Elaine Zeitz, a Canadian teacher and activist based in Toronto, had organized a campaign for Pollard’s release in the 90’s. In 1996, she initiated a public hunger strike, but ended it 19 days later after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who pledged to step up his efforts to secure Pollard’s release. Esther and Jonathan Pollard married in the mid-90’s, while he was serving a life in prison sentence for passing thousands of US documents to Israel.

Pollard was eventually released in 2015 but was kept in the US by parole rules which required him to maintain a curfew and wear a wrist monitor. He was prohibited from working for companies which did not have official tracking software on their systems. He was also restricted from travelling abroad.

Even after these restrictions were removed, the couple stayed in the US as Esther was undergoing treatments for breast cancer. In December 2020 they arrived in Israel on a special flight organized by Sheldon Adelson. They were greeted on arrival by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who handed Pollard his Israeli documentation. Pollard and his wife knelt to the floor and kissed the ground after they arrived.

Israeli Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen said that Pollard would be granted a government stipend equivalent to the pensions granted to former Mossad and Shin Bet agents. The couple settled in Jerusalem.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett sent his condolences.

“I was sorry to hear of the passing of Esther Pollard, a woman whose devotion and love for Jonathan Pollard became a symbol of strength, determination and faith. May she rest in peace,” he said.

Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu said, “My wife Sara and I mourn with Jonathan Pollard over the passing of his late wife Esther. Esther worked tirelessly for many years for Jonathan’s release. I remember our meetings and conversations over the years and I promised to bring Jonathan home. Even over many years of her illness Esther showed immense devotion to her husband, did not give up, did not stop dreaming. We all embrace you today, Jonathan, in your great grief.”