The administrative director of the Jewish Defense League, Harry Pearl, is to be arraigned tomorrow following his indictment last Tuesday by a federal grand jury on charges of falsifying affidavits to secure a passport for Nancy Joan Hershkovitz, who is accused along with her husband of attempting to hijack an airliner to Israel. The indictment was handed down by U.S. Attorney Whitney North Seymour, Jr. Mr. Pearl, who lives in Forest Hills, Queens, with his wife and three year old son, is a 24-year-old rabbinical student. He was accused of falsely identifying Mrs. Hershkovitz as Nancy Joan McGovern, Mrs. Hershkovitz, 19, and her 26-year-old husband, Avraham, were arrested Sept. 27 as they attempted to board a plane at Kennedy Airport allegedly armed with hand grenades and guns, reportedly on their way to London to hijack an Arab airplane to Israel. Mrs. Hershkovitz was released on $25,000 bail Oct. 14. Her husband is still imprisoned in the Federal House of Detention for Men. The couple were indicted on Nov. 2 on charges of planning to wreck an airplane and possession of dangerous weapons. A spokesman for the Jewish Defense League told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that both husband and wife were in good spirits. It was reported, however, that Mr. Hershkovitz had suffered a large weight loss due to the refusal of prison authorities to provide him with kosher food. In order not to violate the principles of kashruth, he is subsisting mainly on yogurt and fruit.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
