Prisoners, Families and Torah
Over eighteen years, the Aleph Institute in Miami has
worked with more than ten thousand Jewish inmates in US prisons. The
difficulties of prison life - ranging from family disruptions to shame and
everything in between - create a condition referred to in Jewish law as "in some
instances harsher than death." (Minchat Chinuch, mitzva
410.) We have employed the Torah method of behavior modification with
prison inmates and received extraordinarily successful results. Although the
success of our experiment is validated by anecdotal record rather than
statistically controlled studies, the results speak for themselves.
Penologists, social scientists, and psychologists have
struggled to find how to bring some purpose and meaning to the "dead time" of
incarceration. High rates of recidivism point to the inadequacies of programs
that try to make jail an experience that has some positive results.  | | " A human being sentenced to serve time in prison undergoes fundamental change" | | |
A human being sentenced to serve time in prison
undergoes fundamental change. The inmate suffers from helplessness, lack of
choice, forced inactivity, loss of family involvement and environment, lack of
purpose and motivation and, in many instances, a loss of desire to live.
Though some effort and research has been initiated to
understand the prisoners, the inmate's family has not been addressed at all.
This area is at least equally important.
Recognizing the unnatural environment of prison and
the bizarre, tragic realities faced by the families of prisoners, the
Lubavitcher Rebbe urged the introduction of Torah study, prayer, and Torah-commandment
performance to the prisoners and their families. Responding to this mandate, the
Aleph Institute organized trained rabbis and volunteers utilizing audio-visual
equipment, books, and Torah-commandment paraphernalia (such as phylacteries and prayer
shawls) to bring the Torah way of life into prisons. More than ten thousand men
and women and their families have been exposed to Torah study, Torah-commandment observance,
and prayer with various levels of intensity.
The results, as reflected by thousands of letters,
personal accounts, and professional reactions of penology and criminology
experts have been nothing short of phenomenal. We have records of individuals
who entered prison totally dejected finding new meaning and purpose directly
proportional to their spiritual involvement. [Archives of the Aleph Institute, Bal Harbour,
Florida]
These positive results affected the lives of both the prisoners and
their families, not only during their sojourn behind bars but even after they
returned to a normal environment.
Judges and prison officials have lauded the
achievements of the Aleph Institute. If this approach can have a positive impact
on the most extreme situation of prison, it can surely succeed in regular
circumstances. Activating the G-dly soul through performing Torah commandments
and opening the doors for its expression brings about positive change in human
behavior.
Condensed from the original article and reprinted with
kind permission from B'Or HaTorah
vol. XII (2000), pp.124-126.
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