Congressman Pat Ryan, who serves as the U.S. representative for New York’s 18th congressional district, sent a letter to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu asking him to intervene on the sanctions imposed by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miraa on bnei yeshivos with dual Israeli-US citizenship.
The letter was the initiative of UT MK Meir Porush, who stated: “The international opposition to the persecution of lomdei Torah crosses even party lines in the US. Democratic Congressman Ryan expresses the justified protest against the violation of the most basic rights of lomdei Torah. This is another expression of the uncompromising struggle that we will wage in every possible way against the arrests and sanctions on bnei yeshivos and avreichim.”
In December 2025, U.S. Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY) sent a letter to Netanyahu on the same issue, also at Porush’s behest.
Ryan wrote in the letter: “Honorable Prime Minister Netanyahu, I would like to bring to your attention a concern faced by American citizens who also hold Israeli citizenship. As you are aware, the Attorney General has ordered sanctions against yeshiva students who do not participate in military service. These measures include travel restrictions preventing individuals who are dual citizens of the United States and Israel from leaving the country.
“We appeal to you to ensure that these American citizens are allowed to leave Israel freely and have the ability to visit and return to the United States if they choose. It is critical that immediate steps be taken to lift these travel restrictions. American citizens, like all citizens, deserve the full protection afforded by their nationality, particularly those who maintain deep familial, professional, and personal ties in the United States through their dual citizenship.”
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
Tell him to shut down the “New Israel Fund” and other “charities” specifically set up to destroy religion in E”Y.
The fact that we need goyim to intervene between a “Jewish” state and Jews living in Israel not to punish them for simply wanted to learn Torah is wild to say the least.
The letter should be addressed to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miraa directly. She is the one who made the decision and the one who has the power to cancel it. Not Netanyahu
Inviting non-Jews to get involved in an intra-Jewish disagreement is a dangerous game. It did not work out well when Hyrkonos and Aristoblus did it, and is unlikely to work out well now either – though hopefully it will not be as damaging as that one.
an Israeli Yid
As if in Israel the Prime Minister has control over anything when it comes to these State matters. For that we have the attorney general and the 15 dictators
@IsraeliYid: 100% right – So do you realise where YOU and YOUR Cohorts got us to?!!
WHAT A “SHANDE”!!!
We need as American religious Jews di more than just tell our politicians to speak and write to the leaders in Israel. We need to organize and warn Israeli government we will vote for anti Israel politicians if they keep bothering Chareidim. We can elect the most anti Zionist politicians here in New York and New Jersey. Im sure they would increase our local funding for our support.
That’s what the AG calls freedom. She can do whatever she wants with the support of the High Court. She and the High Court are the dictators of Israel, despite being unelected. That is dictatorship by the judicial system.