Aleph Institute

Aleph Institute is a Jewish humanitarian organization for both prisoners and military personnel.[1] Aleph Institute also has sister branches, the European Aleph Institute, and the North Eastern US Aleph Institute.

Aleph Institute
Founded1981
FounderSholom Lipskar
FocusPrison programs, Military programs, Family programs
Location
Key people
Rabbi Aaron Lipskar, Rabbi Mendy Katz.
Websitehttp://www.aleph-institute.org/

Services

Aleph provides critical social services to families in crisis; addresses the pressing religious, educational, humanitarian and advocacy needs of individuals in the military and institutional environments; and implements solutions to significant issues relating to US criminal justice system, with an emphasis on families, faith-based rehabilitation and preventive ethics education.[2]

Military Programs

Aleph assists with the spiritual needs of Jews serving in the U.S. Armed Forces by providing Jewish books as well as moral and spiritual support.[3][4] Aleph also distributes special holiday packages to soldiers for Jewish holidays to Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine bases.[5][6]

Jewish Prison Programs

Aleph's prison programs focus on Jewish inmates during their prison stay as well as helping them reintegrate into society once released. Aleph helps them observe the Jewish holidays[7] and assist them with their daily Jewish practices, books, food items and materials holidays and daily Jewish practices.[8][9][10] Aleph also has a summer visitation program which sends Rabbinical students around the US visiting over 3,000 Jewish inmates.[11][12]

Advocacy

The Aleph Institute advocates on behalf of many of the Jewish prisoners in the US as well as in some instances, prisoners abroad. Jacob Ostreicher credited the institute with helping to gain his freedom through contacting actor Sean Penn, who made a direct appeal to Bolivian President Evo Morales.[13]

In 2010, Aleph Institute joined 200 Jewish organizations petitioning then Governor Charlie Christ for a stay of execution on behalf of Martin Grossman who was convicted of the 1984 killing of a law enforcement officer.[14][15] Pope Benedict XVI also sent a personal request to commute the sentence but the execution proceeded and Grossman was killed in 2010.

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References
  1. "New Prison Chief Visits Aleph Institute to Learn About Prisoner Rehabilitation Efforts". Chabad.org. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
  2. "About Us". Aleph Institute. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  3. Popper, Nathaniel (2006-03-17). "Chabad Outfit To Endorse Military Chaplains – The Jewish Daily Forward". Forward.com. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
  4. Stabinsky, Kevin (2009-08-11). "Rabbi visits post to speak with fellow Jews, form bonds, discuss beliefs, address issues". Army.mil. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
  5. Berman, Rivka (2007-01-31). "Jewish Holidays Come Early at Aleph - News - Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters". Lubavitch.com. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
  6. "Jews in Green Links". Jews in Green. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
  7. "Young Rabbis visit a detention center to lead Rosh Hashanah services". New York Post. 2013-09-03. Retrieved 2010-09-03.
  8. "Jewish women in prison want more support from community". Jweekly.com. 1998-03-27. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
  9. "Even behind bars, Jewish life flourishes". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 2009-09-14. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
  10. "Prison Chaplains Hold Two Day Conference at Aleph". CrownHeights.info. 2009-10-20. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
  11. "Pen Pals". Jewish News of Greater Phoenix. 2008-08-01. Archived from the original on 2011-06-09. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
  12. "City jail's Jewish cons host rabbinical students". New Jersey Jewish News. 2008-07-10. Archived from the original on 2011-01-30. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
  13. "Audio: Yanky Ostreicher Gives Telephone Interview". Matzav.com. 2012-12-23. Retrieved 2012-12-23.
  14. http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/death/US/grossman1195.htm
  15. http://www.chabad.org/blogs/blog_cdo/aid/1118763/jewish/Martin-Grossman-Does-Not-Deserve-To-Die.htm
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