Esther Pollard rushed to hospital for COVID-19 related illness

Pollard, who has been fighting breast cancer for years, had a positive COVID test in the hospital. Her husband, Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard, asked the public to pray for her.

JONATHAN POLLARD and his wife, Esther, exit Manhattan Federal Courthouse in New York City, in 2017. (photo credit: BRENDAN MCDERMID/REUTERS)
JONATHAN POLLARD and his wife, Esther, exit Manhattan Federal Courthouse in New York City, in 2017.
(photo credit: BRENDAN MCDERMID/REUTERS)

Esther Pollard was rushed on Saturday to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital’s COVID-19 intensive care unit suffering from septic shock (sepsis).

Pollard, who has been fighting breast cancer for years, returned a positive COVID test in hospital after negative home tests had indicated that she had recovered from a bad case of the virus.

“Esther is really in bad shape,” a source close to her said. “The hospital has been absolutely wonderful. Really professional.”

Her husband, Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard, called on the public to pray for her with her Hebrew name, Esther Yocheved bat Reizel Bracha.

Jonathan and Esther Pollard moved to Israel a year ago after his parole restrictions that prevented him from leaving New York were removed.

Convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard departs US District court after a hearing with his wife Elaine Zeitz in the Manhattan borough of New York December 14, 2015. (credit: REUTERS/LUCAS JACKSON)
Convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard departs US District court after a hearing with his wife Elaine Zeitz in the Manhattan borough of New York December 14, 2015. (credit: REUTERS/LUCAS JACKSON)

The former US Navy intelligence analyst was sentenced to life imprisonment and served a 30-year term for passing classified information to Israel.

Jonathan Pollard is in the news again this week, because a new documentary premiering Wednesday on KAN interviewed the law enforcement officers involved in his arrest in 1985.