Aleph Teams Up With Lakewood School to Spread Kindness

It began with a class on the morning blessing of “Matir Asurim.” When the young students of Bnos Sarah Elementary School in Lakewood, NJ began exploring the concept of criminal justice, their curiosity was piqued. What is the Torah perspective on prisons? Why might someone go to jail? How can we support people suffering from a family member’s incarceration?

To answer these pressing questions, Chana Juravel, the curriculum director of Bnos Sarah, reached out to the Aleph Institute. An organization founded by Rabbi Sholom Lipskar under the express guidance of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Aleph provides spiritual, practical, and emotional support to people impacted by the criminal justice system. Chana had recently received an email describing how Aleph sends a self-care package, or “Hug-in-a-Box,” to women impacted by incarceration. The email gave her an idea…

“We don’t have tons of funds to donate but we do have a lot of spunk and love to share,” Chana said. “Your email about the hug-in-a-box inspired us. We would love to do a project for children whose parents are incarcerated.”

Menucha Niyazov, Aleph’s Family Services Case Manager and Administrator, worked with Chana to develop a creative, hands-on program that would teach the students about incarceration through the lens of Torah and Ahavas Yisroel.

For the next six weeks, the students in grades 3-8 had a weekly designated hour to work on their newest passion project. They worked earnestly to create these imaginative gift boxes—by the kids, for the kids. Each box was filled with a handmade stuffed doll with a “birth certificate,” a handwritten letter, a special craft, and a delicious treat. The girls added their personal touch—one girl put in a necklace, another added stickers and prizes, and one included her own silly putty recipe! The students also wrote heartwarming and personalized notes. As one note said: “I hope things will get better. I made this with a lot of love.”

When the boxes were ready, Sima Simmonds, a case manager for Aleph’s Family Services, traveled to Lakewood to meet the students and speak to them in person. Sima explained that the Jewish people are all one body, and when one part of the Jewish body hurts, we all feel the pain. She described how Aleph helps families in difficult situations and emphasized the importance of non-judgemental love for our fellow Jews. Leah Rubashkin also addressed the students, sharing her husband Sholom Mordechai’s experience “in a place called prison,” and explaining how prisons are often designed to squash individual growth rather than encourage it.

The beautiful event culminated with pizza, sushi, and a moving student choir performance. The girls then presented their precious gift boxes, which Aleph will distribute to children with a family member in prison.

In a letter of thanks from the Aleph Institute to the girls and staff of Bnos Sarah Elementary School, Dina Minkowitz, Aleph’s Director of Operations for Family Services, wrote:

“How can we begin to thank you for your kindness, empathy, and meticulous attention to detail in each Hug-in-a-Box? The effort, love, and thoughtful goodies you have all contributed have truly warmed our hearts. Hearing about the presentation the girls put together, and their insightful feedback, and understanding of sensitivities, is tremendous and incredibly powerful. As a school, you have imparted a gift of compassion, love, and non-judgmental support to these girls.”

If your school is interested in developing a ‘Hug-in-a-Box’ curriculum, please contact Chana Juravel at cjuravel@gmail.com to receive a breakdown of the curriculum. For more information about Aleph and their Family Services, and to support their efforts in ensuring isolated souls are not forgotten, please visit https://aleph-institute.org/.