I asked Chaim how he would reply to the email which Daniel received from Lieberman's advisor.
First, let me state that Avigdor Lieberman is not just a Knesset member. He is the head of a major political party, Yisrael Beitenu (Israel Is Our Home). His party has 11 Knesset members. (The entire Knesset has a total of 120 members.) And Lieberman's party is an essential part of the current government coalition. Lieberman himself is also a Cabinet minister - he's the "Minister of Strategic Affairs". Lieberman and his party are all Russian Jewish immigrants who were able to go to Israel because of Chaim and the JDL. Although Lieberman will probably not intervene on Chaim's behalf, if by some miracle he would even respond positively in writing, this would be important to us.
Now here is how Chaim recommends that Daniel respond to the email from Lieberman's aide:
Mr. Aron Shaviv
Foreign Affairs Advisor
Office of the Minister of Strategic Affairs
Dear Mr. Shaviv:
Thank you for your reply to my letter on behalf of Chaim Ben Pesach.
Here is a brief review of some of the facts in Chaim's case:
1. Chaim's English name is Victor Vancier. However, as soon as he can make aliyah, he wishes to use his Hebrew name (Chaim Ben Pesach) as his legal name in Eretz Yisrael.
2. Chaim was the National Chairman of the Jewish Defense League (JDL), when the organization led the world-famous campaign to liberate Soviet Jewry. In order to publicize the desperate plight of our Jewish brothers and sisters behind the Iron Curtain, Chaim bombed Soviet diplomatic targets in the United States. These bombings did indeed put the issue of Soviet Jewry on the front pages of newspapers throughout the world, and made the Soviet Jewry struggle the number one story on American television and radio. Chaim only bombed empty buildings and empty parked Soviet diplomatic cars, because he did not intend to injure anyone. And in fact, no one was injured in any of the bombings which only caused property damage. In the most famous incident in the history of the Soviet Jewry struggle, Chaim also released tear gas at the Moiseyev Soviet ballet in Lincoln Center in New York. All of these incidents took place between 1984 and 1986.
3. Chaim was eventually arrested and convicted of committing these acts to save Soviet Jewry. Chaim spent five and a half years in the worst prisons in the United States as a result of his actions, and then was on probation or house arrest for an additional 12 years. After this punishment of seventeen and a half years either in prison or on probation and house arrest, Chaim decided to fulfill his lifelong dream of making aliyah in 1996.
4. Chaim flew to Israel and upon arriving at Ben Gurion Airport on July 22, 1996, he was immediately surrounded and arrested even though he never violated any Israeli law. Chaim was locked in a cell without any toilet for 24 hours, and then was expelled against his will from Eretz Yisrael. He was placed on a plane going back to the galut, back to the United States.
5. Chaim then applied for aliyah through the Jewish Agency in New York. His application for aliyah was rejected on March 27, 1997.
6. Chaim appealed the rejection by writing to the Interior Minister. In a letter dated September 25, 1997, Chaim was notified by the Interior Ministry that he would not even be allowed to visit Israel.
7. Chaim's actions on behalf of our brothers and sisters in the Soviet Union ended in 1986. Chaim has not violated any laws since 1986. He has been a law-abiding citizen for 21 years.
8. Chaim is now 50 years old. He has been prevented from making aliyah since 1996, for the past 11 years.
9. The Israeli government invited Yasser Arafat and 80,000 PLO-Fatah terrorists into Israel under the Oslo accords. But a 50 year old Jew who damaged Soviet property 21 years ago to save Russian Jews is not allowed to make aliyah?
10. Chaim speaks, reads and writes Hebrew fluently, and is ready to make aliyah immediately if given the chance.
11. Chaim will certainly be a law-abiding citizen in Israel.
Mr. Shaviv, please ask Minister Lieberman to help Chaim Ben Pesach make aliyah. Many people will be very grateful to you if you help in this humanitarian case. This case is a terrible injustice.
Topic: Replies from the Email Campaign (Read 7029 times)