Leavenworth, KS — Unfortunately, the largest group of Jewish prisoners two young Lubavitch rabbis will have seen on their summer swing through the Midwest was expected Tuesday at the Lansing Correctional Facility in Kansas.
Chabad rabbis hit the road to visit Jewish prisoners in Midwest
Leavenworth, KS — Unfortunately, the largest group of Jewish prisoners two young Lubavitch rabbis will have seen on their summer swing through the Midwest was expected Tuesday at the Lansing Correctional Facility in Kansas.
Rabbis Moshe Raksin, 21, and Shneur Pruss, 22, said they were planning to meet with five Jewish prisoners at Lansing and two more later the same day at the U.S. Penitentiary down the road in Leavenworth.
Their visit to Kansas was part of a month-long, multi-city swing through the Midwest coordinated by the Miami-based Aleph Institute, which is a program of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement dedicated to providing outreach to Jewish prisoners. This summer, 30 Chabad-Lubavitch rabbis or rabbinic students will have fanned out across 45 states, visiting 5,000 Jewish inmates in 450 prisons.
This is the second summer that Rabbis Raksin and Pruss have spent time visiting Jewish prisoners on behalf of Aleph.
“It’s very fulfilling,” said Rabbi Raksin, who, like Rabbi Pruss, obtained his smicha, or rabbinic ordination, from a Lubavitch institution just a few weeks ago. Both of the young rabbis grew up in the Chabad-Lubavitch stronghold of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York. The prisoners, Rabbi Raksin said, “are waiting for us. They don’t get visitors all the time, so they’ve been studying the Bible and their questions accumulate. They have time to think about everything.”
“They ask a lot of insightful, intelligent, challenging questions,” said Rabbi Pruss. “That makes the work all the more interesting. The fact that there are so few (Jews) makes it all the more important to see them. It seems like they are virtually forgotten.”
‘A Jew is a Jew’
As with almost every aspect of life in the movement, the young Lubavitchers say they are following the dicta of the late Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, as they wend their way from prison to prison.
“The Rebbe spoke once and said that even a Jewish prisoner should be reached,” said Rabbi Raksin. “A Jew is a Jew, and you have to reach out to them, no matter where they are.”
Thus, the pair flew to Des Moines and rented a car, then drove it to places like Fort Dodge, Iowa; Yankton, S.D.; and Duluth, Minn.; before winding up in Kansas. Next week, they’ll visit prisoners in Cameron, Jefferson City, Licking and Bonne Terre, Mo. They’ve been using a GPS system to navigate and staying mainly in Best Western motels near the prisons, said Rabbi Raksin.
The groups of Jewish prisoners have generally been small — two or three at each institution, the rabbis said. They don’t discuss why the prisoners are there.
“We’re not there to discuss their crimes,” said Rabbi Pruss. “We’re there to get them in touch with their Jewish roots and enrich their lives with their Jewish heritage and touch their souls.”
That means bringing Jewish literature plus tefillin, or phylacteries, for the prisoners to put on and leading them in various prayers. During a typical 90-minute visit, there might also be a bit of Jewish text study and a question-and-answer period.
Often, the rabbis said, non-Jews will join in the meetings. They might be the non-Jewish friends of the Jewish prisoners, prison chaplains or other interested persons. Some prisoners not born as Jews have been known to claim they are or have become Jewish in order to obtain kosher food or other privileges, or simply to make trouble for their guards and wardens.
The rabbis said they have met such prisoners, “but they don’t interfere with our work,” said Rabbi Pruss. “They come, and we welcome them. Judaism has a universal message, so it’s for them, too. The bigger the group, the better.”
One of the most memorable episodes of this summer’s prison tour, said Rabbi Pruss, was a Bar Mitzvah held in a cell.
“Last week we had a Bar Mitzvah for a man in his mid-40s who’s getting more involved in Judaism,” he said. “He put on tefillin for the first time, and we had a little Bar Mitzvah there in his cell. It’s too bad there was no l’chayim (Ed. Note: a toast after taking a drink) afterwards, but it was still nice.”
we shoudl have this for girls!
wow! thats great! keep up the great work guys!
yankel
Shneur your the man. I did this 2 years ago a truly amazing experience.
from ur sisters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
great job shneur!!!!
im mamash shepping nachas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
u make us smile!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
keep up the great work!!!
Zeidy & Bubby Chazanow
Shneur, it is good to hear that you and your fellow Shluchim are doing such a fine and worthy job with the unfortunate Jews in prison. May your work to reach out to all Yidden to strengthen their attachment to Hashem help to bring Moshiach bimehera beyameinu miyad mamash!
Moshie Raksin Rox! and shneur u 2
hey guys im so proud of u both and of course moshie u rock ur the best bro ever i luv you and i miss u too it will be nice if u come home and visit me bc i wanna c u soooooooooo badly ttyl luv mushkeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ur best sister in the entire world right?!??!?!!?
Sabi & Family
Shneur,
I read the entire article.. and not a word was mentioned about your family in Atlanta.. Dont you think it was a golden opportunity, just missed?? Please remember to check on us every once in a while.. (in between interviews)
moishe shneur aleph fan
hey moishe whats up your so amaizing i never knew you where doing that stuff your so cool kep it up shneur the same also wats up ppls
Avrumi
I agree with my very cute neice’s comment.
“Moishe sh”, it is a pleasure to open a computer and see something positive being done. Even more so when the good being done is through my esteemed and worthy nephew. Continue with the good work and thanks for always giving us true nachas.“
Love, your ”favourite” uncle.
Your #1 Aunt
Moishe, you make the family proud. Keep up the good work!
Mushkee, I love your message!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
reb g.
these boys are amazing they came 2 our chabad house and the chayus they added was just amazing…