d dance THE usicolo- cture on he sec SHOFAR nonstra- gues The Jewish Lifecycle chore- B'nai B'rith Youth Organization nly ex Yiddish merica ALEPH ZADIK ALEPH (AZA) II, wiry, ould al- B'NAI B'RITH GIRLS (BBG) express- 3 to the lassidic. Chapter n, were 'What May, 1978 profes- evaded peated nd told is fam- -How is a Jew born and made part of the the events and rituals attending their child's young Jewish people? birth. Chapter members can talk about r. The How does a Jewish child become a man? their experience of going through their Bar/ d from How does a Jew start a Jewish family? Bat Mitzvah. Parents or older brothers and coun- What do Jews do when a Jewish relative sisters can talk about their courtship, en- guage, or friend dies? gagement, and wedding experience. Grand- er the Jews Behind Bars Birth, brit, Bar Mitzvah, marriage, death, parents can talk about the experience of ble to are the key events in the life of a Jew. What old age. Those who have suffered a loss words are the customs and traditions associated of a dear one can talk about going through As he By Raanan Geberer with these events? How many of them do we and adjusting to bereavement Here again a man still practice? How many have become the possibilities are unlimited. Item: An ex- ts, riv- obsolete? hibit the chapter members' kindergarten bol of "My parents came to the United States As more and more Jews are looking for pictures (or younger) "can you tell who's ne to knowledge. Of the 13 Jews at Attica, only from Syria, and settled in Brooklyn. I was two are able to write Hebrew and only three their roots, many questions like the ones who?'' asked raised in an Orthodox home, but hated can pray in Hebrew. "It is truly amazing," stated above are being asked by young Jews. 2. Actual Life Experience in the everything about religion. In prison, I had a says Rabbi Rockoff, "how many prisoners In BBYO these questions are being an- g. She Community: A Jewish community of any we all change of heart, and like many others, I develop a positive attitude toward Judaism swered these days by chapter programs size experiences births, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, decided that I wanted to belong to the Jew- for the first time in their lives." Rabbi Rock- dealing with the JEWISH LIFECYCLE. marriages, and deaths. It has one or more ish world." This statement, by an inmate at off plans weekly discussions to explain the Those people who have taken part in Life- mohalim (plural for mohel), cantors, rabbis, music Attica State prison, typifies the experiences service and prayers to those who do not cycle programs find them both enjoyable and Jewish funeral directors. Those are the Jew- of several Jewish prisoners who, while serv- understand Hebrew. and educational. Many learn for the first primary resources and resource people for aws. If know. ing prison sentences, develop strong Jewish Once "turned on" to Judaism, some time what a Pidyon Haben is, why the glass lifecycle programming. Chapter members identities, often for the first time in their prisoners feel that weekly meetings are in- is broken at a wedding, or why people back can attend brit. Bar Mitzvah, wedding, n. But only a Jewish identity in prison assumes a sufficient, and initiate their own Jewish ac- variety of forms concern for Israel, re- call it tivities: Inmates at Bedford Hills prepare ligious observance, and sometimes even nich, latkes for Chanukah; At Greenhaven prison, political rebellion. ), can a former journalist puts out a Jewish prison- at we In any given prison, the number of Jewish ers' newspaper, "Hatikvah." And at Attica, inmates is usually small. At Attica State Lubavitcher Chasidim have introduced sev- prison in New York, for example, only 13 of eral inmates to the donning of tefillin, and the approximately 1750 inmates are Jewish. have helped initiate weekly study classes. Time is being served for a wide gamut of Attica inmates have also tried to establish a crimes- sales, forgery, embezzlement, "Jewish Day" celebration, similar to the dancho arson, manslaughter, and murder. "The days sponsored by Puerto Ricans and Italian Jewish 'white collar' criminal," says Attica Americans. inmate Al Heitzer, "is rarely found in a state prison, since most white collar crime falls INTEREST AMONG NON-JEWS under Federal statutes." In addition to Jews being "reborn" within Attica's Jewish prisoners have varied the prison walls, many non-Jews have ex- work backgrounds. Rabbi Daniel Kerman, pressed interest in converting to Judaism. the Attica chaplain, lists among their occupa- Ron Finklestein, a Greenhaven inmate who tions bookie, student, salesman and served part of his sentence at two other accountant New York State prisons, acknowledged that non-Jews had been attracted to Judaism JEWISH ACTIVITY in other prisons as well. At Greenhaven, Jewish activity in prison usually revolves five non-Jews regularly attended weekly around the chaplain, a visiting rabbi with a Jewish services. "The people who are at- Rabbi Bergman conducts mock "engagement ceremonies" (T'na'eem). Jeff Win- regular congregation in the area, or, in some tracted to Judaism," he said, "usually came ter (Regional Godol) and Brenda Youngerman (Regional N'siah) are the engaged cases, a rabbinical student. Rabbi Kerman from an intellectual background." couple. is a Reform rabbi. Others, such as the Nas- Chaplains are divided on the conversion home from a funeral wash their hands before sau County prison chaplain Rabbi Irving issue. Rabbi Kerman, for example, discour- funeral, take pictures, tape, write-up their Rockoff, are Orthodox. But whatever their entering the house. As a young Jew, Life- ages conversion while in prison, quoting a experience. They can invite a mohel, cantor, orientation, the chaplains try to serve the scriptual injunction that one should not ac- cycle programs provides you with a unique rabbi, funeral director, to talk about their ex- religious needs of all Jewish inmates-Or- cept a declaration which a person makes in a opportunity to better understand your early perience, the attending customs and cere- thodox, Conservative, Reform and those experiences, such as birth and Bar Mitzvah, time of distress. Rabbi Seth Bernstein, on monies, and special anecdotes. Customs can without a Jewish background. the other hand, is willing to "teach the rudi- and your future ones, namely, marriage, be explained. The role of the woman can be Chaplains schedule prayer services week- homemaking, and beyond. ments of Judaism" to any interested discussed Old Orthodox practices can be and help the prisoners prepare for holi- Now, suppose your chapter decided to put prisoner. dealt with in the light of present-day prac- day celebrations which are a high point in on a Lifecycle program. Where do you go for tice. Innovations in lifecycle rituals can be the prisoners' daily lives and assume an in- PRISONERS RESPOND material? What angle do you use? Here are demonstrated. Oriental or Sephardic vis-a- tensity rarely felt outside the prison. three sources which provide a wealth of ma- Violent anti-Semitism, according to most vis European or Ashkenazie customs can be Because of the warmth of these cele- terial and ideas for Lifecycle programming: accounts, is rare. "You won't hear a guard compared, and so on. life, brations, general emptiness prison 1. Personal and Family Experience: the of say something like, 'Hey Jew bastard, get 3. Books and Other Resource Ma- and the need to belong to some kind of Participants can draw upon family resources, back in your cell," inmate Finklestein com- terials: "clique" within the prison, many Jews who viz, photo albums, records, certificates, mented, "because they know they'll get in family stories and anecdotes, in presenting THE SECONDJEWISHCATALOG Sharon have had no previous Jewish education, or trouble. Still, they have ways of letting you who have been hostile to Judaism, become either an entire program or background Strassfeld and Michael Strassfeld, Phila.. know they don't like you.' Mild anti-Semi- interested in religion behind bars. The ma- material for a program. Family members The Jewish Publication Society of America, tism is common, anti-Jewish graffiti has been 1976: jority of Jewish prisoners lack any Jewish can be invited to participate. Thus, for (continued on page 6) instance, parents of members can tell about (continued on page 2)