“Do you see this calendar here? We’ve been marking off each day until your arrival!”
When Levi Vorovitch, a rabbinical student from Toronto, walked into Century Correctional Institution in Florida on Purim morning, he was met with an overwhelming wave of anticipation. For months, the men behind bars had been counting down the days—since Chanukah—eagerly awaiting the moment they could once again experience the joy and connection of a holiday celebration with Aleph volunteers.
Each year, Aleph sends dozens of rabbinical students to prisons across the country to bring the warmth and holiness of Purim to those who would otherwise have no way to celebrate. This year, they sent 70 volunteers to over 130 correctional facilities in 25 states, ensuring that the Megillah was read and the spirit of the holiday reached even the most isolated souls. They also shipped 1,768 Mishloach Manos packages and 324 Megillos to Jewish incarcerated individuals nationwide.
For these men and women, the visits are a lifeline. And for those who bring that joy, the impact is just as profound.
“I grew up on shlichus, and I’m used to the lifestyle of helping people,” said Levi. “But there’s truly nothing like visiting a prison. It’s a whole other level—you actually feel the chayus you’re giving them.”
He recalled meeting one man who had been incarcerated since 1970—without family, without visitors, and with no hope of ever getting out. “But the smile across his face when we walked in… when we sang with him and danced with him—it was something else,” Levi said. “You could see it. For that moment, he wasn’t just a number.”
Shneur Pink, an Aleph volunteer from England, spent Purim traveling to five prisons in Arizona. “Thursday night, we were scheduled to read the Megillah and be there for about an hour,” he said. “But we didn’t leave until nearly 10 pm. One man kept begging us to stay just a little longer, hanging on to each word of Torah we were sharing. All I could think was—I’m not leaving here until I absolutely have to. ”
Shneur saw firsthand how deeply these visits matter. “For someone to just be there and talk to them without judgment, is literally lifechanging,” he added. “Aleph gives them something to hold onto. Instead of sitting and staring at four walls all day, they start thinking about how they can better themselves and how to grow.”
Aleph’s reach goes beyond prison walls. Their military chaplains delivered Purim joy to Jewish service members and their families, ensuring they could celebrate no matter where they were stationed. They sent 992 Mishloach Manos packages and 414 Megillos to military bases worldwide—from Japan to Kuwait and all across the globe. Aleph’s Family Services team also made Purim special for children whose parents are behind bars–providing costumes, sending Mishloach Manos, and connecting them with local Megillah readings.
For those who feel invisible, Aleph reminds them that they are not forgotten. For those who wonder if they truly matter, these visits reaffirm that their presence and light is needed and valued.
To learn more about Aleph’s work, visit Aleph-institute.org.
