What must a jew do in order to survive in this crazy world? My brother, who is in prison cannot let people know that he is Jewish or he will be badly hurt or perhaps killed! I am seven years clean and sober thanks to Beit T Shuvah and I would never even have had a chance if I had told other prisoners that I was Jewish when I was in jail. My brother, who is serving a life term can not even get decent representation due to the fact that we are not rich like OJ. We can not get him transferred to a prison with a Rabbi because we don’t know the right people. Why is it that Jews are so badly in need of help in this day and age? I am working 2 jobs just so I can help my brother to just survive! I have approached many Lawyers and begged for help, only to be told that without the big bucks to get him a fair trial, my brother will most likely die in prison. I had always thought that the Jewish community was closer then that. I guess I was wrong.
In my mind the most important factor is prevention. Live your life properly and soberly and you will be very unlikely to ever windup in prison. With the Black Muslims on one side and the Ayran Brotherhood on the other, it is definitely not the place to be. There is one Jewish organization, I forgot the name, but they deal with Jewish drug addicts in prison. I am sure there must be other organizations. I would contact the Federation-Council, 6505 Wilshire blvd., LA., and do some digging. Good luck. They may be able to give you a legal referral.
Yes, you are right about prevention. However, you must look at reality and that people do make mistakes. So when a jew (or anyone else for that matter) makes a mistake shouldn’t we be there and try to help the lost soul?
The organization that does help is called “Beit T Shuvah” and another one is “JCPS”. I have been in contact with both of them and still,,,it turns out to be a money issue. Why is it that money is the all important? There are many jewish lawyers that have all the money they will or could ever need yet they refuse to help. That’s where my problem is. The G_d I believe in would not agree with that. I was born and raised in a Jewish home and we were taught to help each other, our fellow man.
The Federation Ccouncil does have an agency known as Bet Tzedek. It is sort of a Jewish legal aid that helps many with their problems. I do not know if they can be of any help in your particular situation. Possibly you may obtain a legal referral to an attorney who might want to do some “pro bono” (free) work. It is worth checking out. If there is a civil liberties issue involved, you may want to check with the ACLU. No guarantees but leads that may be helpful. Good luck.
Im would give no more help to the state of israel it is throughing money down a bottomless hole let us beware of foreign entanglements forwarned
by T rOSENFELT
Quote from court decision in criminal case:
7 Cal. App. 4th 593, 8 Cal. Rptr. 2d 912, 1992 Cal. App. LEXIS 788, 92 Cal. Daily Op. Service 5344 :
>Defendant Victor Wayne Cooper was convicted by a
>jury of four counts of lewd and lascivious acts upon a
>seven-year-old girl. ( Pen. Code, ç 288, subd. (a).)
>>Defendant is serving an enhanced sentence of four
>consecutive terms of fifteen years to life due to two
>prior rape convictions.
It may seem like begging the question to raise the issues of sobriety and proper behavior as a means for avoiding prison. But once the cat is out of the bag, it will take ten times the effort (and money) to deal with the situation. At this point perhaps the Community (Federation-Council) should divert resources to monitoring and advising of rights as well as a census of Jewish inmates to see how serious the problem is. I understand Chabad has some kind of the program going for prisoners but do not know the details. It is heartwarming to see Chabad doing something while the Federtion is seemingly nowhere to be found.
Yes, sobriety and proper behavior are the ways to avoid prison in the first place. You are also right on target about the Jewish Federation and Chabad. There is also another organization called “JPS’ (Jewish Prisoner Services) that I have been working with. Lucky for places like that because at least now my brother has a chance of meeting with a Rabbi, getting Kosher meals while keeping himself out of harms way while in prison. It has taken our family over 7 years to find him help that wouldn’t put us into the poor house.
I am a graduate of Beit T’Shuvah’s program. Although I was not in jail, I was severely addicted to drugs and alcohol. I had no money to pay for rehab and I was turned away from every place I had gone. Beit T’Shuvah took me in with hesitation. I had to ask more than once and I had to humble myself before them but they did take me in and I now have 15 months clean and sober. I owe my life to them.
My advice to you is go to them with humility instead of anger (which is what I read in your post) and don’t demand, request their help and be persistant in a gentle way. Eventually, they will give in. They do a lot of work with the prisons and jails and they have a lot of residents there who came to them from the system. If that’s what you want, they’re already doing it. Nearly 1/3 of their residents are from jails and prisons. They have a population of 120 residents.
My daughter is in there right now and without the big bucks after it all being depleted in places that did no good. They did the same for her. She has been there a year this coming July 1 and will stay for quite a bit no longer. Luckily, no record, but came in severely addicted. Just was in the fashion show and is in the LA Jewish Journal rag. It’s a fantastic place and has saved her life.
I heard about this and I am sorry for your brother. I can not help you. This is partiality to jewish people. You will search for the lawers. You will definitely get it. You try more and more. God Bless you. God will help you.
