Aleph Institute
 | |
| Formation | 1981 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Sholom Lipskar |
| Focus | Prison, military, and family programs |
| Headquarters | The Shul of Bal Harbour (Surfside, Florida) |
Key people | Rabbi Aaron Lipskar Rabbi Mendy Katz |
| Website | aleph-institute |
The Aleph Institute is an American non-profit organization affiliated with the Chabad-Lubavitch movement that provides support services to the approximately 85,000 Jews in the U.S. prison system[1] and Jewish members of the U.S. military located in the United States and deployed abroad.[2]
Prison programs[edit]
Aleph's prison programs focus on assisting Jewish inmates during their prison stay as well as helping them reintegrate into society once released. Aleph helps them observe the Jewish holidays[3] and assist them with their daily Jewish practices, books, food items and materials holidays and daily Jewish practices.[4][5][6] Aleph also has a summer visitation program which sends Rabbinical students around the US visiting over 3,000 Jewish inmates.[7][8]
Advocacy[edit]
The institute has intervened on behalf of Jewish prisoners, in the United States and abroad. For example, the institute connected Jacob Ostreicher, a Jewish businessman arrested in Bolivia in 2011 for purportedly money laundering, with actor Sean Penn. Penn made a direct appeal to Bolivian President Evo Morales on Ostreicher's behalf. Ostreicher was released in 2013 and credited the Aleph Institute with helping to secure his release.[9]
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.[10][11] Pope Benedict XVI also sent a personal request to commute the sentence but the execution proceeded and Grossman was killed in 2010.
Military programs[edit]
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.[12][13] Aleph also distributes special holiday packages to soldiers for Jewish holidays to Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine bases.[14][15]
References[edit]
- ^ "Aleph's History- Incareration: The Problem and Solution". Aleph Institute Northeast. Aleph Institute. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ "New Prison Chief Visits Aleph Institute to Learn About Prisoner Rehabilitation Efforts". Chabad.org. Chabad-Lubavitch. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ "Young Rabbis visit a detention center to lead Rosh Hashanah services". New York Post. 2013-09-03. Retrieved 2010-09-03.
- ^ "Jewish women in prison want more support from community". Jweekly.com. 1998-03-27. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
- ^ "Even behind bars, Jewish life flourishes". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 2009-09-14. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
- ^ "Prison Chaplains Hold Two Day Conference at Aleph". CrownHeights.info. 2009-10-20. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ "Pen Pals". Jewish News of Greater Phoenix. 2008-08-01. Archived from the original on 2011-06-09. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Glueck, Katie. "Engel to Penn: 'I'm really a fan'". Politico. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ "Martin Edward Grossman #1195".
- ^ "Martin Grossman Does Not Deserve To Die". Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ Popper, Nathaniel (2006-03-17). "Chabad Outfit To Endorse Military Chaplains – The Jewish Daily Forward". Forward.com. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Berman, Rivka (2007-01-31). "Jewish Holidays Come Early at Aleph - News - Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters". Lubavitch.com. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ "Jews in Green Links". Jews in Green. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
