The number of Jewish prisoners in Wisconsin’s correctional facilities has doubled from about 25 this past April to more than 50 now, according to Michael Blumenfeld, executive director of the Wisconsin Jewish Conference.
Moreover, the state Department of Corrections last March implemented new guidelines and rules about prisoners’ religious practices and religious property that are making it more difficult for Jewish individuals or small groups of Jews to observe Judaism.
For example, Blumenfeld told 15 members of the WJC board at its meeting Sunday at the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center in Whitefish Bay, if only a small number of inmates are followers of a particular religion, they are limited to “one festival meal” per year, which precludes a weekly Sabbath meal for small groups of Jews.
Blumenfeld said the Wisconsin Council of Rabbis is very concerned about these new rules; and that on Oct. 16, he, WCR president Rabbi Dena Feingold and Milwaukee Jewish Chaplaincy Program director Rabbi Leonard Lewy met with Secretary of Corrections Jon E. Litscher and his staff, along with representatives of Christian groups.
Blumenfeld and WJC co-chair Mark D. Laufman of Madison said that Corrections Dept. officials “are not picking on Jews” but are trying to tighten rules for all prisoners belonging to minority religions to prevent prisoners from abusing or exploiting religion in various ways.
Blumenfeld said he and the rabbis’ council are “trying to work with” the corrections officials’ concerns.
In her report to the board on security concerns, Paula Simon, executive director of the Milwaukee Jewish Council for Community Relations, said her office has been hearing many reports from throughout the state about letters to newspapers and calls to radio talk shows blaming U.S. support for Israel for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.
She said that her organization can’t respond directly to all such occurrences, and in any event, letters and calls from people in those communities are “more influential.” She also said the MJCCR can make information available, such as lists of “talking points,” to people wanting to create responses.
Laufman added that Jews shouldn’t be excessively troubled by such incidents as national polls consistently show majority support for Israel from the U.S. public.
The board also voted unanimously to endorse a Midwest Partners statement on the national welfare reform Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. This program provides some $3 billion to the Midwest and is due to expire in September 2002.
Although the WJC is primarily a lobby for the state government and does not get involved in federal legislation, Barbara Beckert, assistant director of the MJCCR, said that the TANF program provides some direct benefits to state Jews; that the issue is important to WJC coalition partners and is “a social justice issue” on which “it is important that our voice is heard.”
This was the first WJC board meeting over which Joel Pittelman of Milwaukee presided as new chair. He succeeds Milwaukeean James Fromstein, who had held the position for two years.
Loading ...