[RBS] Save a life - sign the petition before 16.2.10

[Fried]

Wherever you live in the world - kol Yisrael areivim zeh la'zeh - every Jew
is responsible for every other.  A Jew has an obligation to save the life of
another Jew.

May I ask you to take 2 minutes of your time to help save the life of Martin
Grossman, a Jewish man in Florida scheduled to be executed, c”v, on February
16th.  There is an online petition to appeal to the governor to pardon him. 
Here is the link: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/save-martin-grossman. 
(If you don’t wish to include your email or street address, make one up.)

I have no opinion about whether or not his sentence is just.  You can read
details of the case on the petition site.  You can also read a description
of the crime at
http://crime.about.com/od/deathrow/ig/Florida-Death-Row-Inmates/Martin-Gross
man.htm, and of Amnesty International’s perspective at
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AMR51/009/2010/en/714a203d-b77c-4d76
-95db-e7c2b7afbc06/amr510092010en.html. 

Please daven that he should be spared the death penalty, say a perek of
Tehillim, give tzedakah in his merit.  I do not know Martin Grossman’s
Hebrew name.  

Please sign the petition and forward this link to any one you can.

Yissachar

p.s. Below is the text of a letter Martin Grossman wrote to his aunt from
death row, on Chanukah a year ago.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Dear Tantellaski,                        

Chanukkah Night Feelin  (drawing of a sad face with tears)

Happy Chanukkah,

May this wacky letter find you all in great spirituality and healthfulness.

Really missin’ my mammalaski


Thank you
 for the unexpected $50.00 gelt,  And the book of cute holiday
stamps.

Thank you
. for the love and wishes for Chanukkah.

Be forwarned, the other page enclosed was scribbled during, shortly after my
watching 2 Chanukkah specials on P.B.S. 

Please photocopy and give one to Rhonda for me.  

Maybe she’d want to include it in the documentary?

I’m outta here.

May the lord always be with, bless, love and protect you always.
Love always,
Martin
 
I have just been blessed to view two Chanukkah programs on P.B.S.
1) “A Chunukkah Celebration” hosted by the beautiful Fran Drescher.
2) “Lights Celebrate Hanukkah Live Concert 2008”
The following are some raw emotions during/after my viewing:
Being able to feel such sadness and heartache at one point during Chanukkah
-  or this is the first Chanukkah without my dear mother
 and quite probably
“my very last Chanukkah” due to my situation!
But to also feel such joy/pain, pride/regret, watching all of the beautiful
children and young adults singing the blessings – - 
I am overwhelmed by a wave of emotion, my heart begins to swell, my throat
tighten up, and all of these damn cold tears stream down my cheeks
Instantly I have been reduced to a blubbering mess.
Something so moving, so beautiful,
Yet also oh so very painful and bittersweet
The absolute reality of my loneliness takes hold of me,
For the first time in 24 years I now feel its’ total being!
No one to share the miracle with –
No wife, No Girlfriend, No Children,
No fellowship here in Death Row – I am all alone here amongst 300 + !
No latkes, g-d how i miss the latkes.
Please understand this is how i your brother in Judaism must endure 

I am, but an island of Judaism here,
Self supporting, self reliant, steadfast in my beliefs, observances.
Lord I long for my own maccabean miracle,
Surviving in my existence for over 24 years and counting, quite a feat
g-d willing I might still have more survival aspects to mount.
Martin Edward Grossman #A089742
On Chanukkah Kislev  25.  5769.”