An appeal from Rabbi Yossi Stern of the Aleph Institute:
No one wants to be away from their families on Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur, and all of us would prefer to be in 770 or at the Ohel, or even earn some extra income by another Shliach, and The Aleph Institute understands that. Yet, the future of Aleph’s programs is dependent upon us sending out a full force of bochurim to visit Jews in prison this Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and we are appealing to you to volunteer.
Unless we meet the Bureau of Prisons challenge to impact the prison system with a widespread visitation program for the High Holidays, thousands of Jewish inmates will have their right to practice Judaism severely impaired. The Rebbe’s directive to visit and care for every Jew in every prison is every bochur’s responsibility to fulfill, and you are needed now more than ever.
The Bureau of Prisons are stating that a well-staffed Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur visitation program will ensure their cooperation for other programs that The Aleph Institute has long been pushing for. Conversely, thousands of Jews will be further cut off if we don’t meet their demands. The Bureau of Prisons wants to see a full force of bochurim covering federal prisons with a minyan in the following states for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur:
California
Florida
Georgia
New Jersey
North & South Carolina
Pennsylvania
Virginia
West Virginia
Besides it being a life-changing experience for the inmates, every bochur who has ever gone out to visit Jews in prison will tell you that it’s an unbelievable experience to inspire Jews behind bars, especially on such an auspicious day. There is nothing that would make the Rebbe happier than to have you personally volunteer for this incredible mitzvah.
I promise you, your service is more needed here than for any other Shliach in the world. Other Shluchim can figure their way out, but here, hundreds of Jews are depending on you to hear the shofar.
Please call me right away at The Aleph Institute: 305.864.5553, ext. 21 or on my cell phone 786-972-9146.
Rosh Hashanah: Monday, Sep. 29th – Wednesday, Oct. 1st
Yom Kippur: Wednesday, Oct. 8th – Thursday, Oct. 9th
