Tokyo – Yaakov Yosef Greenwald, the last of the three Israeli bochurim jailed in Japan after inadvertently smuggling drugs into the country in April 2008, is on his way back to Israel after serving four and a half years of a six year sentence at the Chiba Detention Center.
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Greenwald, who is being transferred to his homeland to serve out the rest of his sentence, is expected to land shortly in Israel.
According to international lawyer Motty Tzivin, the attorney for all three of the bochurim who were incarcerated, Greenwald will be arrested when he arrives in Israel and Israeli authorities will have twenty four hours to decide his fate.
“I don’t know if there were any agreements made between Japan and Israel,” Tzivin told VIN News. “Israeli law allows for him to be freed but I have no knowledge of any arrangements that may or may not have been made between the two countries and what his status will be.”
ברוך מתיר אסורים. ברוך השם, ברוך בשם
Boruch hashem at long last
Boruch Habah Bshem Hashem!
Thanks to the ONE above.
Now that they are all back “home” in what will be far better circumstances Boruch Hashem.
The following 2 points need to be made
1) What happened to the (outward looking) frum yid who recruited them?
2) These boys should be compelled, as a SMALL gesture o appreciation to the tremendous resources expended on them as a result of their stupidity and foolishness (they wanted a free tour of Japan after all and they KNEW they were smuggling SOMETHING in)
To tour every single yeshiva in Israel and tell their story and horrible experience to every yeshiva bochur etc. Warning them not to accept anything from anybody.
I sat down with my 18 year old son and scared the wits out of him with all the gory details to impress upon him not to take anything even from a jew with a beard etc.
Why does this story keep getting whitewashed?
“…after inadvertently smuggling drugs into the country in April 2008…”
I’m not so sure it was “inadvertent”, and even if the drugs were inadvertently being smuggled, they minimally knew they were smuggling fake antiques for the purpose of committing antiquities fraud.
While I’m glad they are all home in Israel, they all BELONG in prison for their crimes. How are we supposed to hold others accountable for their crimes if we do not hold these boys to the same standard.
Maybe they knew the risks and maybe they didn’t. Either way it is the result of THEIR choice. Either they CHOSE to be criminals, or they CHOSE to be ignorant of the world and its system of laws. Neither of those things excuses their behavior.
I’m sorry that they went down this path, but for me they are the proof in the pudding that a life of isolation and ignorance is a VERY dangerous life. BALANCE in our education and some understanding of the world is critical to our survival. It’s time to wake up and realize how our own attitudes led to this mess and the wasting of MILLIONS of dollars needed by our institutions to “save” them. We need to be smarter.
L’chaim to his new found freedom. Baruch matir Asurim
How does one “inadvertently” smuggle drugs?
didnt even finish reading the article yet,,,, best news ive heard in a long time…
“….they minimally knew they were smuggling fake antiques for the purpose of committing antiquities fraud.”
No, I believe they thought they were transporting real antiques.
Does the bracha of matir asurim apply to guilty people who are in jail for their crimes? More likely it is meant for those kidnapped or held captive.
Inadvertently smuggled drugs?
Is that like being mildly pregnant?
WOW! This the best news EVER! I say tehilim for him every day! I’m so happy Hashem really listens ( not that I needed to be reminded )
Chaim Hersh F; you are a tzaddik of a human being. How many countless trips you have taken to Japan merely to be mechazek these bochurim., A breath of fresh air when most of these commentators have nothing good or positive to post. Keep up your good work; Tizku Limitzvos.
Something here doesn’t fit! He was rescued due to the efforts of diplomats from the evil Zionist state! I thought that his people would have nothing to do with the evil Zionist state.
Baruch Hashem!
all of us owe Japan a big ” YASHER KOACH” thank you,not for releasing them,but for the fact that their drug laws are one of the strictest in the world,and for having the guts to stand up to pressure and having kept these three hoodlums incarcerated for two years,YES i called these three gangsters “hoodlums” because anyone smuggling or dealing drugs whether he is frum jew or not,is nothing but a murderer and deserves to hang from the gallows.
And please don’t tell no BUBE MAISAS that they did not know they were transporting drugs.
And could someone explain to me,why the animal who sent these kids to Japan,why is he still walking the streets and not rotting in jail?
“inadvertantly”? By repeating this lie, you are encouraging more idiotic yeshiva boys to try this. They saw how their communities rallied and made them into heroes, like the blacks did for the Jena 6 and the Central Park rapists and the Crown Hts murderers. Great job, VIN. Yasher koach.
They knew they were smuggling. They knew it was illegal. They got caught bringing in illegal drugs. They should have been in prison a long, long time. But the Japanese government showed unusual mercy. At the very least they deserve to serve out their sentences in Israeli prisons.
They aren’t heroes. They are criminal scum who believe the law doesn’t apply to them.