Men's Club - Mitzvot

For approximately twenty years, Beth Sholom volunteers, led by the Men's Club, have been visiting the Jewish prisoners and conducting services at Graterford Prison, a maxium security penal institution. We conduct services in the Jewish chapel, address religious and spritual needs, teach some Torah and discuss current events.

Though rarely thought about by the uninitiated, those who've been in captivity for many years forget what it's like to do simple things like opening or closing a door.; incarcerated Jews aren't allowed to make these decisions on their own. In many sections of the prison compound, opening or closing a door is a matter for staff members to decide and even then, the door is locked or unlocked electronically. Even after all these years, Men's Club volunteers still have not become accustomed to having to stand in front of a door and wait to be let in and out of the building. The sound of heavy steel doors clanging shut, and the seeming finality of this experience linger with us long after the visit is over.

For many Jewish inmates, especially those inmates who have lost contact with their immediate family. the Beth Sholom volunteers function as surrogate family as well as a conduit to mainstream society. Regardless of the reason for their imprisonment, severing family ties only compounds the ill effects of total isolation from the real world. Visiting a prison certainly isn't glamorous but our experience with the Jewish inmates of Graterford Prison has been extremely rewarding. Everyone is grateful for our few minutes together, and it's amazing to see what kind of emotion it brings out of a person. If you are interesting in participating in this special program, please contact Bob Lankin (215) 576-0666 or bob.lankin@raymondjames.com