BY CHARLOTTE HYAMS
The "new look" in the treat-
ment of criminals dates far back
into the annals of Jewish law.
Even Maimonides advocated re-
habilitation when'he spoke of the
"ransoming of souls" that fall by
the wayside.
In the 27 years that Dr. Mau-
rice Floch has served the . Detroit
House of Correction as psycho-
logist and as deputy superinten-
dent in charge of rehabilitation,
he has seen a slow but steady re-
turn to the Biblical standards of
justice.
"Hebrew criminal law was
far more gentle and merciful
than present law," he said.
"For example, to carry out the
Jewish death penalty in ancient
days, there had to be two wit-
nesses to the crime and a warn-
ing to the victim the act was go-
ing to occur."
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Holiday Greetings
Last Passover, with matzo and
wine provided by the Jewish
House of Shelter, Rabbi Flam
conducted a Seder for the
"We Enjoy Serving You"
Jewish women and seven non-
14008 Strathmoor
Jews who asked to participate.
BR 2-0685
Rabbi Joshua Sperka performed a
■ ■ ■
0■ ■ ■
similar spiritual function when
he was a member of the Correc-
tions Commission. "But this is the
s' only contact with
Happy Passover
e corn
As a
ch said, only
when trims d
the commu-
nity of its se
of security are
the people co inced they must
11666 Cloverdale
do som ng. e added that the
WE 3-8050
br of
mily unity and
toward "atomiza-
individual" have
anifest themselves in ••• ■ •••• ■ ..wsliow
Sincere Good Wishes
crease in alcoholism
and
g addiction. among Jews.
Warren
aimonides believed that as
g as there is one Jew needing
help, the community must do its
Wholesale Plumbing &
Heating Supplies
best to encourage him," Floch
12670
EVERGREEN RD.
said. "You can help people• re-
BR 3-3100
form themselves only if you can
convince them that you have hu-
man understanding."
SLATER'S
BEAUTY SHOP
A Biblical and Talmudic
scholar born in Hungary to Ortho-
dox Jewish parents, Floch claims
the "Jewish approach to prob-
lems of life" has done much to
shape his career and his attitude
toward criminals.,
Floch doesn't fit
description of a
n
logist. Cal
co ial, he
treats th
0 "Dehoco" inmates
Passover Greetings
like
nary people." His sen-
ti
s, in fact, are reflected
-
e
title of a book he wrote
Sales—Rebuilding--Rentals
veral years ago, " e, Too,
Are Human,' essa al
4760 St. Aubin, Detroit 7, Mich.
lives he has
TE 3-9020
century at
institution.
As a r arch
ow at the
Happy Passover
Universit of Mi igan, Floch
was appoi d Dehoco's first ps
chologist
1934. He is pre
114 and 115 W. Lafayette
doing a study on the
t of
novels and plays •
e reshap-
ing of atti •
ong criminals
.
122 W. LAFAYETTE
cribed his experiment
in bibliotherapy in several peno-
Gust Keros & Son
logy journals.
Passover Best Wishes
The "Jewish approach" has Captain Gets Pension
helped Floch launch his re- for Helping Jews
Vacuum Cleaners
habilitation program at. Dehoco.
Happy Passover to Our Friends and Patrons
. Service . Shop
BERLIN—A monthly pension
Emphasis is on the reconstruc-
Detroit's Largest Repair
and Service
tion, not punishment, of way- has been awarded to a 67-year-
•
All Makes Re-Built
old°German sea captain and his
ward lives.
17801
JOHN R
wife
for
having
helped
•
some
41/2 Blks. North of 6 Mile Rd.
"Social justice" is reflected in
Distributors of Alside Baked Enamel
TO 9-4222
the extensive education program 400 Jews to escape from Ger-
many
during
the
Nazi
regime.
there, which, according to the
UN 2-8336
15000 LINWOOD
psychologist, has received great
impetus from Albert Shapiro,
Happy Passover to Our
and Relatives
Superintendent for the past three
years.
Holiday Greetings
(One of the recent arts and
Gas — Oil - Warm Air — Air Conditioning
crafts projects was posters for the ,
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February program of Hillel Day
Commercial and Industrial Wiring and Repairs
D. A. LAVEN
School. Hillel principal happens
Rewiring of Old Homes — Heat Controls Installed.
15905 James Cduzens Hwy.
UN 2-9517
to be Mrs. Maurice Floch.)
But in spite of the ever-
TO 9-7385
9560 OAKLAND
presence of Judaic principles in
Floch's thinking, there are only
four Jewish prisoners at Dehoco.
Passover Greetings
All four are women.
The fact that "there's rarely
Happy Passover
a minyan here" is nothing new.
In the entire state prison sys-
tem, Floch said, there are only
Sheet Metal Contractors
some 45 Jewish inmates.
KE 4-7610
23057 NORFOLK, DETROIT 19
Why so few compared to other
1450 W. 13 MILE, MADISON HEIGHTS JO 4-5618 segments of the state population?
"Anyone who receives a proper
Jewish education in the Scrip-
Best Wishes for a Happy Passover
tures," Floch said, "w o u I d
Passover Greetings
recognize that Jewish law acts to
reduce primitive drives. In only
one case, can I recall any Jewish
prisoner with a traditional up-
Nathan P. Rossen & Benjamin J. Poss
bringing or any Jewish ties." He
Manufacturers of Wire Products,
Dl 1-4684
18685 Wyoming, Detroit 21
added_that "the one case turned
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out to be a phony."
TY 7-8940 ,
"Family life and education
4704 Eighteenth St., Detroit, Mich.
focusing attention on the respon-
sibility of • the father to his chil-
Happy Holiday
dren," the "self discipline of
1 kashrut and fasting .on Yom Kip-
Happy Passover to Our Friends and Patrons
pur" and the "emphasis on com-
munity responsibility and social
justice" all have helped to en-
lesalers of Fine Meats
i hance the sense of moral duty,
WhRoT
TO 8-5550
15045 HAMILTON
Floch said.
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VI 1-4900
FORT
10023
"Crime can only be mini-
mized in a highly responsible,
disciplined community," he
pointed out, "where there is no
Happy' Passover
Passover Greetings
rejection of any class, but,
rather, a sense of belonging."
The many Jewish agencies that
attempt to limit poverty are an
Complete Office Outfitters
example , of this communal
Office Planning
TE 4-3990
13821 ELMIRA
responsibility,
Floch said.
D. Ferrari, Mgr.
Unfortunately, the problem of
LO 7-7626
3162 E. JEFFERSON
returning rehabilitated criminals
to the community cannot be
aim ► o.N.)•• ■■■
■ •mb-o ■o■ o•• ■ 4)
.NDoe ■ olow., ■ •••
.m.o. ■■ )so•••••o ■ f)
PaSsover Greetings to Our Friends and Patrons
solved by agencies alone, he
added. There are a few individ- .
Best Wishes for a Happy Passover
uals who have helped reintegrate
To Our Friends and Patrons
the prisoners to life outside De-
Johnson Outboard Motors
hoco: men like Max Biber, a mem-
Lyman Clinker and Fiberglass Boats
ber of the Corrections Commis-
Sporting Goods
Photographic Equipment of All Kinds
sion, and Al Rosenberg, owner
14035-39
W.
McNICHOLS,
DETROIT 21
of Holiday Manor; both of whom
TA 6-5030
- 5454 W. VERNOR HWY.
BR 3-0909
BR 3-1096
-
have placed Dehoco "graduates"
■0•1■0■
■
■
■
■
■ ■ ■
■
in jobs.
But the community in general
has shown a "lukewarm interest"
in these forgotten Men and Holiday Greetings to All Our Friends and Customers
Passover Greetings
women of the Detroit House of
Correction.
Rabbi Israel Flam,- spiritual
leader of the Torah Center in
Oak Park, comes biweekly to
LU 4-0260
19305 W. WARREN
3011 RUSSELL, DETROIT
conduct services and a class for
the Jewish inmates.
L
011
011
0•11•11.4.
il
(1
43
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43 — THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS — Friday, March 31, 1961
Maurice Floch: His Pupils Are the Forgotten Population of Dehoco'