Prison chaplains to discuss how to help Jewish inmates

A first of its kind conference will be held in Brussels next month concerning Jewish inmates held in European prisons and jails. Rabbis and prison chaplains will discuss how best to assist the 3,500 Jewish inmates, according to Levy Kanelsky, director of the European Aleph Institute, which is holding the conference. According to Kanelsky, these prisoner often have difficulty in reenty:

"Supplying prisoners with religious goods and items such as siddurim (prayer books), kosher food, scriptures, talletim (prayer shawls) and tefillin (phylacteries) helps them gain a higher level of self-awareness and understanding of the implications of their actions," Kanelsky adds.

The Aleph institutes organises visits by religious figures and volunteers and also provides support for the families which are often in great economic, social and psychological distress.

Israel’s Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger will attend the seminar.

"We are ensuring that the prisoners have a chance to lead relatively normal lives,” Kanelsky stressed."

(European Jewish Press)