Rabbi Shaya Deitch, the Chabad Shaliach in Moscow, visited with Israeli citizen Na’ama Issachar who is a prisoner in Russia, following her being convicted of drug possession.  Contrary to what has been reported in Israeli media since Issachar’s arrest, Rabbi Deitch told Israel media station Kan, that Issachar is in good spirits.

Thus far, almost all of the media reports in Israel about Issachar have relayed that she is in terrible spirits and beyond the breaking point spiritually and psychologically. According to Rabbi Deitch, “Na’amas spirit is excellent. She is full of faith and joy in anticipation of the expected hearing on her appeal.”

Rabbi Deitch added that her spirits improved after she was transferred from the prison where she was being held until now to her current location. She is in the new prison due to her hearing. “It’s much better for her and more respectful to her. She is an intelligent girl, and everyone admires her. She is a very good child. The staff and the guards also try to treat her well,” he explained.

Her appeal is expected to be held in two weeks in a court in Moscow. In addition to Rabbi Deitch’s visit, another spiritual leader took an interest in her case. The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week and during their meeting requested Issachar’s release,

Previously, YWN reported that a Russian court has forbidden Yaffa Issachar from speaking Hebrew with her daughter Naama, who is imprisoned in a Russian jail. Naama was sentenced to 7.5 years of jail for possession of 9.5 grams of cannabis while awaiting a connecting flight in Moscow to Israel from India in April.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)