The Pennsylvania department of corrections, Jeffery A. Beard, Ph.D. Secretary, yesterday (3/3/2006) signed into policy, permitting Jewish inmates to have in their personal property a pair of Tefillin (phylacteries).
Tefillin are square leather boxes with straps, Jewish men over the age of thirteen don them daily (besides Sabbath and Jewish holydays), during prayer in the morning.
Until now Tefillin were permitted for use in the chapel only, as there was the fear of it being used for its unintended purpose. These arrangements, due to the work load of the chaplains in their respective facilities, were not adhered to, according to Rabbi Moishe Mayir Vogel, Executive Director of the Aleph Institute in Pittsburgh. Unfortunately inmates who wished to put on Tefillin were not able to do so.
At a meeting in September between Mr. John S. Shaffer Ph. D. Executive Deputy Secretary of the PA Department of Corrections and Rabbi Vogel, the former agreed to review the state policy once again, to see what he could do to modify the policy. Mr. Shaffer really made this his mission and lobbied hard for what is right and just.
Tefillin now permitted in PA Dept. Of Corrections
The Pennsylvania department of corrections, Jeffery A. Beard, Ph.D. Secretary, yesterday (3/3/2006) signed into policy, permitting Jewish inmates to have in their personal property a pair of Tefillin (phylacteries).
Tefillin are square leather boxes with straps, Jewish men over the age of thirteen don them daily (besides Sabbath and Jewish holydays), during prayer in the morning.
Until now Tefillin were permitted for use in the chapel only, as there was the fear of it being used for its unintended purpose. These arrangements, due to the work load of the chaplains in their respective facilities, were not adhered to, according to Rabbi Moishe Mayir Vogel, Executive Director of the Aleph Institute in Pittsburgh. Unfortunately inmates who wished to put on Tefillin were not able to do so.
At a meeting in September between Mr. John S. Shaffer Ph. D. Executive Deputy Secretary of the PA Department of Corrections and Rabbi Vogel, the former agreed to review the state policy once again, to see what he could do to modify the policy. Mr. Shaffer really made this his mission and lobbied hard for what is right and just.
We thank the Secretary Beard, Deputy Secretary Mr. Shaffer and Rev. Ulli Klemm Director Religious Program (Central Office), for taking such a leap forward and allowing the Jewish inmates to put on Tefillin daily.
Inmates who wish to put on Tefillin and do not have their own pair are able to write the Aleph Institute who will provide the Tefillin to them at no cost, as long as they agree to don them daily for the rest of their lives.
Religion in prison is the singular most effective rehabilitation tool according to Federal studies; it reduces recidivism by over forty percent! With a national rate of recidivism of over seventy percent, we should be doing all we can to rehabilitate and transform these men to becoming productive members of the community said Rabbi Vogel. Today the State of Pennsylvania gave the Rabbis and the Jewish inmates the necessary encouragement and support to do this.
The Aleph Institute is a national organization, which provides religious and humanitarian programs for the Jewish inmates and their families. The North East Regional office is located in Pittsburgh, and works very closely with the PA Dept. of Corrections. To learn more go to www.alephne.org
