16

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle

INMATES

Juno 11, 1943

side of prison walls.

ware which thereafter became our
property and are in my office to ish inmates themselves contribut- 1942, no one has violated 1. ,
The very first step to bring the be used only for Pesach. The thrill ed the money and a most beautiful parole.
and appreciation of the men jus- ark was made within the prison.
My Requ est
had no one to whom to take their men was to establish regular
Congregation Bnai David voted w To R a et
Prisoners of today
problems, and prisoners have weekly services and to supply each
ix e
to give a Scroll for the use of o
q dueefinite
"
obligation. Some_
many real and exaggerated griev- with necessary religIous articles
Jewish
services
in
Jackson.
The
h
Si cid,
ances. They had no one who would caps, a s talayssim,
urim skull
owas they failed in their ad.
, Bibles, books and Jewish
members of the board of trustees i
ustment, the communal institu-
interest himself in their families, magazines. At every service
there
of Cong. Bnai David offered to t
ions were not on guard to save
who are left either without pro- is a discussion period in the place
give
a Kosher banquet as their t hem, even as some boys or girls
w
vision or supervision which often o fa sermon. I never deemed it
contribution to the dedication ° f today if will be prisoners t o-
t preach to prisoners. Even
led to divorce, dissolution of lam- wise to
ceremonies. The dedication cere- p morrow f we continue to neglect
though a prisoner may blame his
ily ties or delinquency. On re- prison sentence on the inability of
monies and dinner was a truly roper treatment and corrective
lease if without family they were the lawyer, on the mood of the
measures. Suffice it to cite that
impressive
event in its effects d uring this year we have had
friendless in a world that was judge, on the temper of the jury,
upon
the
Jewish
inmates
and
the
b
a father and son, a
altogether too ready to remind still in his heart he knows that
pr son officials, The warden, and ., mother
and daughter in our pris-
„ other
them of the sti somehow and somewhere he com-
s.
I other Chaplains participated in
gma of a prison mitted and violated an accepted
sentence. Indeed there are very code of law.
the service. The official presenta-
Some few weeks ago there ap-
few groups who carry such se-
tion of the Scroll was made when Pe ared a notice that a certain
Preaching strikes him as blam-
-convict will
Mr. Joseph Block as president of
vere prejudice against an ex-con- ing and downing him. What he
Con g. B nai David presented me service. Contemplatingat a church
vict as our group. If the inmate needs is a conviction that people
how tu often
with the Scroll as the Jewish you find a church service
was fortunate enough to be par- who follow and live by the ac-
Chapalain of the prison. Moving over to one reformed and how
oled he needed a suitable job which cepted standards are successful,
pictures taken of these cere- this is unheard of in our
is a pre-requisite to release. That happy and peaceful. He must be
group
monies by the prison have been I began realizing to what exte
was not easy to obtain. On my led to an appreciation of a true
shown at conventions of prison we carry our severe judgment of
second visit to Jackson, a Jewish adjustment to one's community
authorities throughout the coun- ward one with aprison
inmate sought an interview with and to its people and that it pays
rec to-
p
try.
ord.
That is unfair. One
me and I was shocked to discover to be good. Thus when we get
man
is now
Parolees
that this man had served a sen- together at services we
back
in
prison
because
people
tence of 9 years and at the ex- important portions of th read the
did not allow that man to make
In addition to the moral sig
RABBI JOSHUA SPERKA
iration of this minimum sentence, book in Hebrew and in e Prayer
ca nee of the system of part) nifi- an adjustment. He was honest,
e was paroled. But this man Only one out of 15 reads English. tified every effort to establish it.
les, loyal and devoted to his work.
it has social significence to the Suddenly he was fired, for no
remained in prison for two addi- and that one is usually Hebrew In addition each Jewish man was co
mmunity.
The
parole
board
foreign
tional years without being able born. Occasionally we re
ou r state has a right to pa of other reason but that he once
to secure a good job. Following the Scroll and the older ad from supplied with Pesach food indi- an inmate at the expiration of role served time. It was rather bitter
his request I arranged employ- thrilled to get an aleya men are vidually. Each man received 5 nil, nimum sentence, if, in th his for him to be re minded of his past
ment, for him. This man when we pause for our discus h. Then pounds of matozs, several dozen ° Won, the prisoner has corr eir sin. but he went on and after
paroled made a most ideal ad- riod. I introduce a prob sion pe- of eggs, salami, fruit, etc. Thus 1d
e P1 his thinking and his behav ect- months of seeking he got himself
justment, he works, earns good making a statement of 5 lem by
t is our task that during ior. another job. When the manager
wages, and he visits or calls me minutes inviting the men to 10 one who wanted to avoid eating inc arceration he be guided b his of this store found out that he
2 or 3 times a month.
to
the
chomets
(bread)
could
easily
do
to
discussion. At times I s
a full understanding of ack served time he, too, fired him.
State Prisons
question on which we b olicit a so. This year Pesach's bill amount- res possibility to the community his This was during a depression year
our I ed to 400 dollars. The money and ew ch he lives. His record in and he could not find work. His
The prisons under our juris- day's discourse. Other t ase
Imes
hhai
diction are the State Prisons set aside for questions a nd an- what is more the effort in get- loya pal attendance, his interest, of home situation was
terr e. His
of Southern Michigan in Jackson. sorer periods. The question s they ting the meal prepared, taken tp ters lty and his response to m his mother was sick and hisib l father
This prison has today 5,071 in- ask are always interesting,
spiritual are of importance at- irresponsible. The man was press-
mates. Of this number 60 are lating often surprisingly stimu. Jackson (to House of Correction In, e. But what seems to have f to ed hard and yielded to the temp-
philoso-
and
County
Jail
because
of
prox-
lea
Jews. (2) Michigan Reformatory phical and logical and som etimes
as a full, pleasant but rat al- tation of getting hold of some
imity daily meals are delivered, heav y burden is my attempt r money.
in Ionia with a general prison embarrassing. But even
to A
Enstein
from
the
House
of
Shelter)
serv-
secu re employment for our Je her
population of 1,012 and of this and Freud could not alwa ys an- ing it, bringing all the
I am anxious to
Pesach ish parolees. A stable and secu w- establish a Jewish library shelf
number 3 are Jewish. (3) State sorer all the questions. W
House of Correction and Branch truly amazing is the warm hat is orders out to Jackson (to Ionia job is a pre-requisite to relea re in every one of our prisons. It is
and Marquette these are sent by and
se my feeling that that would
Prison in Marquette with a popu- responsiveness of these nt th
en and
in
be
took a great deal of work to p1 I have taken it upon myse If a major contribution to the wel-
lation of '720, of which number their participation in the service mail)
ace
these
men.
Of
the
34
m
naturally
I
could
never
do
it
paro
10 are Jewish. (4) Marquette and in the discussions. T he in- alone. It was the following
led during this interim en fare of the men during their
com- woul d say I arranged employme I incarceration and thereafter. Here
Honor Camp has 45 inmates, 2 terest of these men in Jew i s
h
mittee
who
deserves
the
credit
for
a
bout 25.
nt we have men who could systemat-
of whom are Jewish. There are problems is heartening. F or we for this work: Hyman
Th e prejudice more than th
Altman,
discuss
all problems
su bjects. Joseph Block, Max Charness,
tu authentic
read and sd
4 Jewish state prisoners out of The
Jewish
status in and
the di
Da-
distr
ically
.
. c lassical Jewish books,
ust makes my task • cu e and
31 in the House of Correction
aspora
.(I
-
,
Lapidus,
Saul
Waxman,
to
ob
of
tarn employment Then to t uses. From the point of view of
Palestine is a subject most Sidney Gorman, Louis
mind
Plymouth
although
that
is
frequently
brought
up
by
some-
Please.
o,
inter
faith
this
would
provide
an
ful
of
the
fact
that
the
not a state prison.) All women
y ma
Upon every Holyday then an must
prisoners
prisoners of the state are housed one, even to the point of the es- attempt is made to bring the or el succeed in his adjustmen n opportunity for all inmates to
at the Women's Division of the tablishment of a Jewish army. meaning, significance and the mes- I hav se he is returned to prison t have within easy reach, the best
Next in popularity is the subject sage of that festival to these parol e to select the job to fit th • about Jewish religion, history and
House of Correction, Pl y
ee. The kind of work, th e literature. I, therefore appeal to
of
anti-semitism; inevitably some men.
Mich.. Out of 214 women mouth,
state
establ ishment, the neighborhood e those who have good Jewish books
one
will
ask
a
question
in
re-
prisoners there is today only one noon, theology or morals and Dedication of Ark and Scroll
the h ours, the pay, all have to fi , to inform me or send them to me
Jewish woman.
for th at particular man in orde t or to the prison. I am anxious to
they usually lead to surprisingly
This is no place to justify the to
r
Out of GO now committed to to
e move every possible tempta r secure Bibles, Jewish Publication
gical heights.
reasons for need of symbolism. As
Jackson 27 are first offenders;
pion
a
rovid e
The
attendance
of
for
me
I
recognized
a
need
for
an
with every - Society edition also Dr. Hertz's
22 have one previous record, 5 prison is volunt ary, services at
possib led ch
p ance ors adjustment.
edition. If you so desire you may
ark
and
a
scroll
to
remind
the
What
have 2 previous crimes and 5 yond comparison with yet att i t is be- men of divine
I want to acknowledge and send us a check made out to
services as th ey
end the
have 3 previous crimes, and 4 outside of prison. None off
President of Cong. Bnai David,
have previous arrests but no con- men have attended a weekly the ought to be conducted. The Jew- Jewish God for is that of all the Joseph
A. Block, Prison Library
men
paroled
since
Jan..
eekly
serv-
viction. These
are serving for the ice outside the prison and here
following
crimes:
ne arson; 1, obstructingea jus-
1,
have a somewhat similar situ-
1
weapons auto
led ation in army camps.) This, how-
;
1,
receiving
stolen
prop-
ever, is true that there are some
erty; 1,
t
heft; 2, rape; 3, men who want to come to the
aggravated
burglary; 9, assault; 3, fraud; 6, regular services, but they fear
9, forgery; the accusation that they became
11, homicide; robbery;
1, sex psychopath.
"softies" and therefore, come only
Office of the Jewish Chaplain
to the Holyday services.
Alongside the Catholic and Pro-
testant Chaplains office in Jack- Holyday Services and Celebration
What I consider
son there has been opened a Jew- contribution
are our of a major
ish Chaplains office. This office services and celebrations. H olyday
I re-
serves as quarters for the Jewish call most I idily t he first Chanukah
Chaplain, as clearing house for services. took to these services
all the problems and needs of the about 20 Chanuka lamps and
CIGARETTES
Jewish inmates. Here all inter- candles, placing these around the
views are held and the Jewish pulpit. After a brief services and
inmate is permitted to use its portions of Holoyl I called upon
facilities for letter writing and everyone to rise, come forward,
typing. To this office the Jewish reete the blessing and light a
inmate comes with his grievances, candle. I could not help but notice
complaints against anyone within tears in the eyes of many men as
the prison even as he comes with they stood and stared deeply into
his problems and needs that con- these flickering flames. Either they
nect
Jewish'
Jewish i to the outside world. A wondered
have
whether their
these lights
is selected to act could
avoided
dark
as permanent clerk in that office. fates of the moment or perhaps
He is charged with the responsi- they were moved to see in them
bility of carrying out the plans a new light or a new hope. This
; ; . a new moistening agent, replaces glycerine, now
needed for war duty:
and program undertaken by the was a most solemn scene. It re-
The Eastern Regional Research Laboratory of the U. S. Deartment of
Jewish group. To him the Jewish minded me more of a Kol Nidre
inmate comes or writes to request service in the Synagogue. Young-
Agriculture developed this new moistening agent from fresh appl
call it Attie "tAu
e ."
an interview with me. The clerk er men coming from homes where
pe juice. We
arranges those interviews in ac- they have never seen or heard of
Sprayed
on
our
choice
tobaccos,
cordance
importance. with their urgency and Chanukah lights, I found later
Apple "Honey" helps keep them moist
and fresh on their way to you.
home
about
service.
tasteless,
Among the odd problems placed writing
The older
men
who this
came
from
the taste of Old Golds.
Apple "Honey"does not change
before this office is the veracity homes where this ceremony was
In many ways, we think it superior to glycerine.
of an inmate's statement that he observed or even have performed
is a Jew. In 3 cases I had to it themeslves (I would presume
Waft
delve deeply into family history 2 3 of t older men these
he
BUY MORE
before a decision could be reached were
)
e stirred beyond descr iption.
WAR BONDS
whether
a Je or not the man was On Purim I read portions of
ihtoto/fritath rg refs on Rada
NOW!
re al bt
arises
his
relig
prer
here
I
brought
op
atmos
In
July
1942,
Old
Golds
were
reported
affiliation the man does not be- Homon-
tashen
/14
p the much
services.
For
first in unbiased, independent, unsolic-
long to the Jewish group but has Pesach there is to
really
to do.
some personal motive. It might be Prior to my coming a Sayder
ited tests of 7 leading cigarettes,
made
that he has a Jewish friend or was conducted for all the Jewish
for Reader's Digest.
thinks he can gain special privi- inmates. In the menu of the Say-
leges or to escape identity. Fre- der I now discover there were
quently a non-Jewish inmate will matzos too, but it was a non
Latakia
request a Jewish Bible, a He- Kosher meal with Pie chomets
brew book to learn the language. a la mode (ice cream after meat))
In 1941, we added rare, flavorful Latakia
I also had a request for a con- to conclude the Sayder.
version which I immediately dis-
to our choice Old Gold tobaccos—thus
The first
Pesach permission
of my charge
naturally seasoning
couraged
and a after persistence I (1942)
I secured
to
offered
to loan
the famous Old Gold
book on the Jew- have the Sayder a kosher meal pre-
blend. Get a pack of Old Golds today!
ish religion suggtsting that such pared in Detroit. It was not diffi-
decisive step should be made out- cult to obtain new dishes, silver-

Religious Services and Attendance

g

to Gol0

SalergoUp Up Up

Apple Honey

Being

.L 0

Lowest hy

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Established 1760

