Our Update #10
Special Mazel Tov
• We would like to open this issue with a special Mazel Tov wish to our dear Reb Yoeli Mendelowitz. He serves as the Dror backbone, and it is well known how vital he is to this organization. May we always get to share in his simchos.
The Bloomgarten Campaign
• Monday, July 29: Dror ladies’ event aimed at raising money for the Bloomgarten case. Our sincere thanks to Mrs. Kompel and family, Mrs. Waxler, Mrs. Tessler, and Mrs. Heller for their time and effort towards making the event a success.
Transportation & Accommodations
• Dror assisted a family from out of town with service so that they could visit their father/husband in prison: Pickup from airport, transportation to and from prison facility, a place to sleep, as well as food and shopping.
• Special thanks to our menahel Yoel Usher Labin for arranging tickets for 3 families to fly abroad and spend the Yamin Tovim with their extended family, bringing them much-needed simchas yom tov even at a time when they are missing their loved ones. A special thanks to Take Off travel for their assistance in this project.
• R’ Chaim Hersh Freund stepped in to help a woman who has been a past recipient of Dror assistance. She has just gotten out of prison, and he arranged a place for her to stay until she gets back on her feet.
Bringing Awareness
• Tuesday, August 13: Dror held a conference held supporting the candidacy of Attorney General Candidate Bill Thompson. Our esteemed menahel addressed the candidate with a emotional and poignant question: In our society in which children are so sheltered and protected, how come when law enforcement agents arrest a father, they do so in front of his children—scarring them with this memory for life? Why don’t they come down with a social worker, or at least spare the children the sight?
• Dror arranged an August 16th tour for a group of bachurim in the Woodbourne Facility. We hope to arrange another two group tours in the coming weeks.
• Yoeli Mendelowitz received highly positive feedback from the yeshiva that went on the tour: “The trip was amazing! The bachurim enjoyed it very much!” And the message was very clear: “Thanks so much for Dror’s monumental efforts on behalf of these people who are suffering so much.”
• In the last week of the camp season, Arye Leib Glancz went down to Krasna Boys’ Camp and warmed everyone up with his touching message about the yidden who are sitting in the dark behind bars.
Food Program
• August 21: Over 400 delicious kosher meals were packaged at The Palace. Our sincere thanks to the Weinstock Family and Palace manager Gedalye Jacobovitz.
• Special thanks to our dear friend and partner Chaim Hersh Kaufman from Imperial Catering for providing the first Shabbos meal in the Jewish community in Otisville.
• Many thanks to our esteemed partner Amrom Israel for giving of his valuable time to help out families for Yom Tov.
Legal Matters
• Leading Dror members held a meeting at our accounting partners Abe Roth &Company to discuss the idea of forming an official board for our organization.
• Dror took new measures in cutting a big expense on the legal field by trying to help out with efforts in writing letters on behalf of inmates.
• Chaim Hersh Freund held a meeting with multiple lawyers regarding the Weingarten case and how to act going forward.
Prison Triumphs
• After much hard work by the Dror legal team, we managed another successful transfer of an inmate sitting far away from his family. He will now be much closer to them.
• Dror volunteers participated in a special seudas hoda’ah for a case that was b”H dismissed. The speakers praised Hashem for His nissim, and also warmly thanked the Dror team for helping out in the case.
• Amrom Israel tackled a case of a minor subjected to a rehab program. He was able to have the case dismissed with minimal fees.
• Wendy Runge, a woman from Iowa, was granted parole after serving only half a year, while it was thought she would be jailed for ten years.
Kids Corner
• Our sincere thanks to Mr. Abe Eisner for his generosity in helping Dror place children of inmates in schools for the new academic year.
In other news…
• Dror askanim held a meeting with Shulem Weber and his son Moshe – the father of our dear volunteer Shloime – to discuss how we can implement a state of the art system for volunteers.
• Former Otisville inmates gathered at the home of Araye Leib Glancz to offer their help in every way for their brothers still suffering behind bars.
Warm Wishes
• Mazel tov to Yanky Mayer upon the bris of his grandson.
• Mazel tov to new board member Moshe Aron Hoffman upon engagement of a son