For months, the ISA (Israel Security Agency � Shin Bet) has been pressuring senior officials in Yad L�Achim to agree to work with the intelligence agency towards saving lives.

According to a Ladaat report, the head of Yad L�Achim, Rav Shalom Dov Lifshitz decided to remove the uncertainty and he turned directly to ISA Director Yuval Diskin in a letter.

According to the report, at least four senior Yad L�Achim officials have been approached by ISA officials in the hope of enlisting their assistance. One of them apparently approached a gadol hador to inquire as how to respond, with the report quoting the unnamed gadol as saying, �your activities for Yad L�Achim for pidyon shvuyim saves Am Yisrael no less than the ISA hopes you will do for it.�

In his letter, Rav Lifshitz writes that he has no doubt that siyata d�shmaiya plays a major role in the organization�s success, well above their mundane efforts. He invited Diskin to come and visit, to get a first-hand look at the organization and its operations rather than rely on roundabout efforts towards learning how Yad L�Achim operates.

In response to the report, Yad L�Achim explained it cannot reveal all the details regarding its activities or any contacts with the ISA.

(Yechiel Spira � YWN Israel)