Our Update #5

The Dror project obtains tefillin For grateful prisoners

• In recent months it had come to our attention that there were five observant inmates incarcerated in various risons, with no means of performing the daily mitzvah of putting on Tefillin. These prisoners were greatly distressed by this, as it had always been a fundamental part of their lives.
• Dror immediately sprang into action and promptly purchased five pairs of Mehudar Tefillin. These Tefillin were then forwarded to prisons throughout the United States. At the same time, Dror also sent 500 sets of Tanach to various prisons, to raise the spirits of the inmates. These holy packages brought tears of joy and gratitude to the eyes of these Jews.
• Dror is truly a ray of hope and encouragement which serves to illuminate the darkness that reigns within prison walls.

Weekend Retreat rejuvenates and inspires

Shabbos Parshas Behar was a Shabbos to remember for the families who were invited to a weekend retreat in he mountains. Held at an elegant resort in the Catskills, the Shabbaton served as a much needed respite from the overwhelming struggles and sadness which these families must bear every day that a husband or father is imprisoned. The women and children relaxed and enjoyed themselves. Their needs were attended to by the devoted staff of Dror.

“It was good to share with other women going through the same ordeal,”are the words of an attending mother.

From transportation to cuisine to uplifting speakers, no detail was overlooked. Every aspect of the Shabbaton as meticulously planned with one goal in mind; to allow these individuals who through no fault of their own have fallen on such difficult times, to forget their hardships for this one Shabbos and renew their strength and courage to endure their tribulations.
The smiles and laughter around the room as the Melave Malka drew to a close was the greatest thank you we could receive.
“It felt so good to laugh!”said another woman.

A Kiddush Hashem story:

Soles For incarcerated souls
Let us call this Jewish Federal prisoner, Mr. Cohen, (not his real name, of course). He contacted Dror and eported that because of an extremely uncomfortable condition in his foot, he required special orthopedic shoes which he could not obtain for lack of adequate funds. Dror gathered the necessary unds and forwarded it, to this individual, who had the shoes ordered through the prison canteen. (Federal prisons prohibit outside packages.) Several weeks later when this pair of shoes was a story of the past, Dror received the following e-mail:

To the Angels of Dror,
You thought you were sending me shoes. You really sent me the rare
opportunity to do a mitzvah in prison. When I showed up at the
prison canteen to pick up my new shoes, I encountered a fellow
prisoner who was eyeing my new shoes with undisguised envy. He
then burst into tears, pointing to his feet. This man had no shoes at
all, and no means of acquiring any. I immediately removed my new
shoes and gave them to the man. The shoes fit the man and he was
very grateful. I myself am even more grateful for the opportunity to
do the mitzvah of tzedaka and to make a Kiddush Hashem even
within these dreary prison walls. You can’t imagine my inner joy!
“Megalgalin zchus al yedei zakai.” Dror, the zchus is all yours. Thank
you for uplifting my soul with your soles.

The personal involvement of Maran Harav Chaim Kanievsky שליט”א

This past Lag B’Omer, two of our dedicated askanim had the zchus to visit Maran Harav Chaim Kanievsky שליט”א in Israel.
Maran Harav Kanievsky שליט”א instructed them to relay his ruling, that in our generation instances of Pidyon Shvuyim are among the few cases of true Pikuach Nefesh for which one is permitted to desecrate Shabbos.
The askanim had the opportunity to review several current cases with Maran Harav Kanievsky שליט”א. One such case concerned a Baal Tshuva whose situation Maran Harav Kanievsky שליט”א had specifically requested Dror to address, and with Hashem’s help this individual’s release was finally obtained. When he was presented before Maran Harav Kanievsky שליט”א, the Tzaddik joyfully pronounced the blessing of Matir Assurim, expressing his gratitude upon witnessing his freedom.
Maran Harav Kanievsky שליט”א also discussed at length the tragic issue of youths becoming entangled in legal issues, and the unbearable suffering which they and their families endure as a result.
Maran Harav Kanievsky שליט”א had been very involved in the situation of Yosef ben Ita Rivka, who was imprisoned in Japan.
He was the first of the three boys to be released. He carefully followed every aspect of his case and kept in close contact with Dror through the revered Posek, Harav Mendel Shafran. When the boy was finally released, he received a personal Kabbolas Panim from Maran Harav Kanievsky שליט”א.

Thank You

From A wife
Dear Mr. Isreal,
It is with heartfelt emotions that I take my pen to write this letter to you.
When my husband was sentenced to prison I was sure that the sun
will never shine again. My whole world became gloomy and
enveloped in misery. I couldn’t dream how I would cope, survive,
and tread this lonely path.
I couldn’t see past the current day, and I didn’t know how I would
withstand the next one.
Until the Angel of Mercy came to knock on my door…
Mr. Isreal,
You were heaven-sent, you were my savior!
From the day you walked into my life I started seeing rays of hope.
You unloaded the heavy financial burden I was carrying. You took
it upon yourself to pay my rent.
You saved the humiliation at the grocery by paying my bill.
You spared my children the discomfort of being sent home from
school for unpaid tuition.
T hank you so much for supporting me and my family in such trying times.
May H-shem repay you tenfold for all the good you have done.
In everlasting appreciation,
Mrs. R.
From A husband
Dear Rabbi Labin,
It is in circumstances as such when sterling quality character shines through. You have outstood and come through in flying colors.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart for filling the voids which so desperately needed to be replaced by my absence.
You are enabling my wife and children to continue with their everyday lives while I am
indefinitely away.
It feels great being a part of the human race, knowing such benefactors as you exist.
Your generosity in my dire state has helped me immensely. Thanks for the canteen money, The Seforim and the packages you send me monthly.
Thanks for being there.
Thanks for being you.
Kind Regards
ID # 08B7508
From A Son
Dear Mr. Tabak,
Sometimes Somebody
With a heart of gold
Changes a meek
downtrodden boy
Into a boy so bold.
You took my hand
In the hardest of time
You offered me a word,
A peck, a dime!
You have molded me
Into the man I am,
Until you came
I was dressed in sham.
You helped me rise above
The guilt and shame,
You helped me see past it
And cheered me on in my game.
You were there
To nudge me on
To get ahead in life
While my papa was gone.
Love,
MOSHY
A Final note of GratItude

Dear Mr. Mendlowitz,
I felt I absolutely had to write this letter to express my hakaras hatov for
everything you did for our family. When my son received his prison
sentence, our entire world fell apart. Our lives, and the lives of his wife and
children, became gehinnom.
The golus is bitter and the needs of the klal are unfortunately many.
Everyone sympathizes when a child, or parent, is sick, r’l. Everyone
understands the pain of childless couples and can relate to their desire for a
child. But when our situation hit, we felt ostracized. We needed help as much
as any other family in crisis – but we had nowhere to turn.
You helped us. Your Dror program saved our family. You financed and
arranged car services to the facility where my son is serving his sentence so
that we could visit him. You encourage the inmates to learn and be tested, so
they use their time productively and do not lose their self-esteem. You are
there to help and address all aspects of our very, very difficult situation.
But most of all, thank you for the support. Thank you for just existing,
for being there to help us, so that as we suffer and struggle at least we do not
feel like we are alone.
Tizku l’mitzvos and may Hashem bentch you to be able to continue
doing your unbelievable chesed – until the day, hopefully soon, when it will
no longer be necessary.
From a grateful mother