Our update #25

 With preparations for the new school year and Yomim Tovim having occurred at the same time, all Jewish women felt a bit overwhelmed. However, for the wives of incarcerated men, the month of September was all the more challenging as they had to care for their families alone while trying to prepare themselves and their children emotionally for a Yom Tov without their father/husband home. Thus the Dror Women’s get-together came just at the right time when a break and Chizuk were most needed. The Dror women were treated to a night out in Bleu Modern Café. They were served a lavish, elegant and mouth-watering full course dinner while they received professional guidance from the world renowned Dr. Hindy Klein. Along with dessert, the women enjoyed a beautiful heartwarming Kumzitz with music and singing.

Dror volunteers don’t merely drive families to their destination, they take the families’ situation to heart, get personally involved and assist in every possible way. Before Yom Tov, volunteers overheard women talking about their dire financial straits as they struggled to bring in Yom Tov, and thus presented very generous donations to a couple of women which helped ease their financial burden. No words would be suffice to thank our dedicated team of volunteers for all that you do for Dror and the families we assist.

A couple of Days prior to our annual Freedom & Unity Dinner, Dror Askunim gathered at the home of a close friend of Dror, Yossi Schlussel, for a pre dinner party to organize, plan and finalize dinner night arrangements.

Thank you Yossi for opening your home and heart to Dror now and always.

Full dinner newsletter to follow.

 On Thursday Chol Hamoed, the Dror families were treated to an incredible day of music, shows and fun on an exquisite yacht. Throughout the cruise, the children were treated to popcorn, cotton candy, slush, nosh, balloon twists and a most enjoyable photo booth where they were able to manage a fun photo machine on their own and take an unlimited amount of photos shoots which printed instantly. Shimmy Engel, The Mishoririm Choir and Naftali Schnitzler made the atmosphere one of true Simchas Yom Tov as everyone danced and enjoyed a most lebediga concert. Next on the program was an amazing carnival, magic show and an interactive drumming game/show which had the all the children drumming and all adults laughing. Before disembarking the ship, a full gourmet buffet dinner was served so that everyone left satiated with fun and food.

Dror takes a time when the children would miss their father most and turns it into a time of beautiful memories.

With much S’yata D’Shmaya, 3 individual cases which were assisted by our legal team were B”H dismissed.

B’Chasdei Hashem, our legal team was able to arrange for a father of a special needs child to be moved from a halfway house to Home confinement in time for Yomin Tovim. The father, who hasn’t been home since his child’s birth, is now able to bond with and care for his son.

Chaim Freund made an emergency trip to Japan to assist with transferring 2 inmates from Japan to Israel.

 After several long and arduous years in a cold and lonely cell, weary  and dispirited inmates at long last return to their home and family. Although this may seem like a dream come true, an end to all of their family’s troubles, the reality is quite different. How is this individual to integrate back into society?  Who will grant him the ultimate favor of offering him employment? How can he re-accustom himself to the ups and downs of   day to day life after so many years of  lonely prison confinement? Our goal at Dror is to make the prisoner’s transition to normal life as smooth and easy as possible.

Dror recently received a call from a former inmate begging for help. After spending a lengthy amount of time imprisoned, isolated from society and between people of the lowest morale, he was having a very difficult time readjusting. Dror immediately got him a professional to talk to who was able to give him psychological guidance.

For another inmate, Dror recently found proper employment, in accordance with his skills and experience.  B”H with this job, this former prison inmate was able to regain his place in society and once again begin to function as a productive member of our community.

On Chol Hamoed, our dedicated board member, Rabbi Israel Hager, hosted a beautiful dinner in his Sukkah for attorneys, judges, politicians and close friends of Dror. Those present were inspired by the warm words of our esteemed Ruv, Rabbi Stein. Additionally, each attorney was given the opportunity to speak a few words. There was one common thread among all their speeches; how fortunate they are to work hand in hand with Dror and how privileged they feel to have a relationship with the Ruv which dates back a few decades.

Read the article which appeared in Binah Magazine which gives a glimpse into what Erev Yom Kippur looks like at Dror.

 Mazel Tov to Chaim Kompel upon his daughter’s wedding.

Mazel Tov to Bentzion Lezer upon his daughter’s wedding.

Mazel Tov to Moishe Steinmetz upon his son’s wedding.
Mazel Tov to Menachem Melamed upon his wedding.

Mazel Tov to Yossi Itzkowitz upon the birth of his first grandchild.

Mazel Tov to Eli Moskowitz upon the birth of his baby daughter.
Mazel Tov to Shmiel Yakov Hecht upon his son’s Upsherin.

Mazel Tov to Lazer Reichberg upon moving into his new home. May your home be filled with Simcha and Mazel.