Neighbors: Israeli brother 'patriotic'

The family of Ben-Ami Kadish's brother Ehud declined to comment yesterday on Ben-Ami's arrest in the United States on suspicion of spying for Israel. Ehud Kadish lives with his wife Ronnie and their son David on Moshav Neve Yarak, near Hod Hasharon.

According to the indictment, it was Ehud who introduced Ben-Ami to his alleged Israeli handler, Yossi Yagur, in the 1970s when Yagur and Ehud both worked at Israel Aircraft Industries, now called Israel Aerospace Industries.

Members of the agricultural community said the Kadishes had bought a 20-dunam farm on the moshav about 20 years ago and became involved in community life. "They are good, patriotic people who love the state very much. They are very polite and sociable and take part in all the events held on the moshav," one woman moshav member said.

Another member, a man, said that "Ehud is a quiet, modest man in his 70s. He is honest and is known as a good neighbor who gets along with everyone. To the best of my knowledge he works in agriculture. His son, David, is very involved in community life.

"As a moshav member he attends all important meetings and is also a member of the moshav's cultural committee, a volunteer position. He's very active on the committee, which plans extracurricular activities for children and organizes events, such as for Independence Day."

This moshav member also said he believes that the Kadishes grow wheat.