Aleph Cares For The Incarcerated

As the summer draws to a close, approximately 700 incarcerated Jews across America feel more uplifted, connected to yiddishkeit and cared for, thanks to Aleph Institute’s Summer Visitation Program.

Here’s one inmate’s reaction after a visit by some Aleph volunteers: “I wanted to let you know that two young students from Aleph visited me today and they were great. We prayed together and I received fresh literature from them. I brought my new calendar to the meeting that you sent me and they explained several items that I will be ordering from Aleph. We had deep spiritual discussions that I needed. Please could you let their superiors know how inspiring their visit was for me today. I wish them well on their journey.”

In 1981, Rabbi Sholom Lipskar was directed by the Rebbe to found the Aleph Institute. This summer, 35 years later, Aleph’s team of 28 volunteers in 14 groups travelled through 45 states visiting about 90 federal prisons, 270 state prisons and a number of county jails, with the message that no Jew is ever abandoned.

Prison is a lonely place for anyone, and at less than one percent of the prison population, being a Jew in such an environment is particularly isolating. Spiritual connection and development is vital.

“I really needed this” said a teary inmate at Autry State Prison in Georgia. “You guys came at the right time. This week in specific I went through a lot, and the bit of inspiration and encouragement meant the world to me.” Another man from Tennessee expressed his gratitude towards the program: “You have rekindled my Judaism, Aleph is my only connection to Judaism in prison.”

Aleph Institute is on a mission to visit more facilities each year, in their commitment to reach as many Jews as possible and provide them with Jewish education, experiences and upliftment. They also distribute thousands of siddurim and ritual materials together with how-to videos.

While en route through Minnesota one volunteer reported, “we met P. His father isn’t Jewish and he was raised without any Yiddishkeit. He now started keeping Kosher to the best of his ability. We put tefillin on him for the first time in his life. He was crying.” Yosef Gotlieb, one of Aleph’s traveling rabbinical students, shared some sentiments on how the program impacted him: “The main part of my job was to go into the prison and inspire the Jews behind bars . It was beautiful to see how in every facility I went in, the effect on me was even greater than the one before. Whether there was just one Jewish inmate or three of them, the Jewish pride they all had as a team was just amazing!”

A huge appreciation goes to this summer’s Aleph volunteers: Moshe Lazaros, Menachem Mendel Lazaroff, Schneur Zalman Polter, Abba Wolosow, Saadia Weingarten, Menachem Mendel Yosef Tzvi Allouch, Eitan Pravitz-Rosen, Menachem Mendel Munitz, Moshe Luchins, Adam Leventhal, Avraham Zecharia Fried, Yakov Mordechai Wilansky, Moshe Hillel, Chaim Richler, Tzvi Hirsch Groner, Zechariah Phillips, Mendel Karp, Joshua Levy, Yanky Tevel, Nissen Pewzner, Tzemach Mendel Zirkind, Yosef Yitshak Gottlieb, Menachem Mendel Krasnjanski, Yaakov Greenberg, David Junik, Reuven Overlander,Shalom Weisz and visitation coordinator Avrohom Zajac.

As the Aleph Institute wraps up another meaningful summer they continue on with their crucial work to reach out to as many incarcerated Jews as possible, demonstrating how Ahavas Yisrael will not be deterred in the face of physical barriers. In Rabbi Lipskar’s words, “Aleph’s mission is to bring light to the darkest places, where no one else dares to go. We become their extended family for whatever they need from emotional support, to financial support, to spiritual support.”

To enable this tremendous work to continue and grow, please support Aleph’s Charidy campaign, Wednesday 2pm EDT. With your help, Aleph can further its mission to reach as many Jews in limited environments and their families as possible, providing them with the help and healing they need.