5 Persistent Phone Calls Got Pesach Food to California Prisoners

An excerpt from SHADAR: Touching Hearts, One Person at a Time By Dovid Zaklikowski

When the Rebbe encouraged new programs to assist Jews in prison in the 5730s (1970s), the first Shliach in California Rabbi Menachem Shmuel David Raichik pioneered many new services. Chief among them was the provision of kosher food for Pesach.

Initially the Pesach food program was not well received. Rabbi Raichik had to confront resistance from penal institution regulations, and the existing chaplaincy structure, to provide kosher-for-Passover meals to Jewish inmates and mental health patients in California.

When the program was first proposed, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s office turned to the chaplain, who said that it was unnecessary. “The sheriff’s office would be reasonably receptive to the needs of their Jewish inmates,” wrote Los Angeles County Assistant Sheriff James Downey in a May 5731 (1971) letter, “if the Jewish chaplain from the Los Angeles Board of Rabbis would request it. The chaplain felt that inmates who do not keep kosher the entire year didn’t need kosher l’Pesach food. He emphasized the ‘problem’ of there being a difference in the treatment of Jews among the entire prison population.”

The assistant sheriff argued that permission for the Pesach meals “cannot be given, as it would constitute a deviation from policy and an exception for one particular religious group, and set a precedent for other religious groups. Genuine religious needs of observant Jews, on an individual basis, however, have been and will be met.”

Rabbi Raichik did not give up. Every year he clamored to serve even one Pesach meal to a prisoner who needed it.

“Rabbi Raichik was the West Coast director for the Rebbe,” said Representative Henry Waxman, “and he made every attempt to help the entire Jewish community. And if there was a concern that I could deal with, Rabbi Raichik would call me.”

The former congressman said that Rabbi Raichik understood the real world, and followed issues in people’s lives, “not in any judgmental way, but out of concern, to try to help people.”

When the issue of Pesach food in prison arose, Rabbi Raichik turned to Mr. Waxman. In a letter to Roland W. Wood, superintendent of the California Rehabilitation Center in Corona, Mr. Waxman wrote that Rabbi Raichik’s program aimed to provide prepackaged meals prepared by a certified-kosher airline caterer.

Rabbi Raichik, Mr. Waxman, and the other community rabbis disagreed, believing that this so-called chaplain simply cared little for Pesach observance, and they had to go through other channels.

In addition to the opposition from the chaplain, there was also the formidable problem of prison rules and regulations regarding outside food. With faith, political savvy, and sheer persistence, Rabbi Raichik managed to overcome this obstacle as well.

He would occasionally go to the state capitol in Sacramento, where he visited officials, politicians, and their assistants. “He would meet Jewish legislators and offer to put mezuzahs on their doors,” recalled Jack Mayesh, who in the 1970s was chief of staff for then–California Assemblyman Howard Berman. “I would always greet him and invite him into my office.”

At one point Rabbi Raichik turned to Mr. Mayesh for help with the Pesach meals program.

“I approached the proper authorities and I had very nice conversations with them,” said Mr. Mayesh. “The warden told me that they would love to accommodate, but they do not let food come in from outside the prison. I was disappointed. I called Rabbi Raichik back and told him that I had tried, but they were very adamant that it would not be possible for security reasons.”

Rabbi Raichik responded, “This is very important. You will try again and maybe the warden will find a way to help us.”

Mr. Mayesh made it clear that the warden was unwavering.

“I know, but with G-d’s help,” Rabbi Raichik said, “maybe you will be able to do something.”

He promised to call again.

This time he was more forceful. He explained how critically important the matter was. “This is a good thing. It is important for the Jewish inmates to be able to celebrate the holiday. I would make the effort to check that the food is fit and secure for the prison,” he told the warden.

The warden was adamant that he could not break the rules, but did promise to speak to his supervisor. Several days later he called and again reiterated that they would not be able to accommodate the program.

These conversations between Rabbi Raichik and Mr. Mayesh, and Mr. Mayesh and the warden, repeated themselves several times.

“I had a very hard time refusing Rabbi Raichik,” Mr. Mayesh said. “It was not like he did not understand. He felt I should not be afraid since I am a messenger from G-d. Rabbi Raichik was not an overtly forceful person. He did it with humility and kindness.”

After his third call with the warden, Mr. Mayesh was ready to give up. But during yet another conversation with Rabbi Raichik he found himself agreeing to try again.

“When I hung up, I had no idea what I was doing,” he said. “I had spoken to them three times, and the warden couldn’t have been more definitive. He was a very nice man, but he wasn’t budging. What could I do?”

Time was running out. Mr. Mayesh told the warden that he understood his position, but he was still hoping that he could find a way to make the program work.

“I have gone to my superiors,” the warden said, “and they are just not going to be able to take a chance.”

Mr. Mayesh responded, “There must be something that we could do. I think it is something you should reconsider.”

The conversation ended unsuccessfully; the warden was clearly frustrated with Mr. Mayesh’s persistence.

Mr. Mayesh reported back to Rabbi Raichik, who again insisted that this was not the end of the road. Mr. Mayesh was frustrated too, and he did not want to become an enemy of the warden. However, Rabbi Raichik convinced him to call the warden again, for the fifth time.

As soon as he called, the warden said, “All right, we will do it!”

Mr. Mayesh was shocked.

“We will have to take very careful precautions, but we will allow it to happen,” the warden said.

Mr. Mayesh could not believe what he was hearing. “I was like a child in a candy store,” he recalled. “It was just the conviction of Rabbi Raichik, who repeated numerous times, ‘Hashem is with you and you are doing His work.’ There was no other explanation for it. It was like the opposition just melted away.”

When he reported the news, Rabbi Raichik calmly said, “Oh, I am so happy. I knew this would happen.”

Mr. Mayesh concluded, “I was more motivated by Rabbi Raichik’s faith than the mitzvah itself. He had such unbounding faith that it would happen.”

Rabbi Raichik then met George Warner from the Department of Corrections, and they discussed the logistics of delivering kosher-for-Passover meals to Jewish prisoners.

“I am writing to express my sincerest appreciation for you and your staff’s consideration of my request, and the request of Rabbi Raichik, that Jewish prisoners in the California prison system be allowed to receive kosher food during the eight days of the upcoming holiday of Pesach,” wrote Assemblyman Berman to Jerry Enomoto, director of the California Department of Corrections.

Rabbi Raichik would travel to New York for the farbrengen marking the Rebbe’s birthday on 11 Nissan, shortly before Pesach, leaving his son Rabbi Shimon Raichik in charge of organizing the Pesach food for the prisoners.

One year a chaplain failed to arrange to have food sent to one of the prisons. Rabbi Raichik phoned his son frantically. “What’s going to be?” he said. Shimon finally reached State Senator Herschel Rosenthal, and within an hour everything was resolved.

The Pesach meals, though costly, were provided to the institutions without charge; the funds were raised by Rabbi Raichik’s appeals in the local shuls. When people questioned why they were being called upon to help convicted criminals, he replied that these criminals were still Jews and that the laws of Pesach applied to them equally.

Over the years the program earned recognition and praise. “On behalf of the staff and patients of our hospital,” wrote Rabbi Eugene Gruenberer, chaplain at the Department of Mental Hygiene at Camarillo State Hospital, “I wish to thank you and your organization for supplying us with the kosher l’Pesach frozen dinners for our observant patients.”

 

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