Our Update #7
Blumgarten Campaign
• The week began on Erev Shabbos when Howard Blumgarten called Eli Ostreicher, the latest prominent askan to join the Dror family, to personally thank him for all that he has done so far – and continues to do – on his behalf.
• On Sunday morning, the Dror machine went into high gear with a team of prominent Dror askanim – headed by R’ Chaim Fasten – began hitting local shuls in Borough Park and Williamsburg with the appeal campaign.
• At the same time, the streets of Borough Park were filled with six specially designed bikes driving around Borough Park playing a song off of Sruly Werdyger’s latest album with a very unique voice-over Dror message expressly prepared for this campaign.
Food Program
• Headed by R’ Aron Leib Glanz, a food tasting was held at the Dror offices with the participation of Simcha Felder, R’ Berish Freilich, R’ Simcha Bineth, R’ Yoel Eisdorfer, Abe Lichtenstein and many other Fort Dix and Otisville volunteers, with the goal of providing a better food experience for those who rely on Dror for their kosher food
• Dror volunteers also packaged more than 250 kosher meals at Imperial catering hall to be distributed to families and inmates. Our thanks to Reb Chaim Meir Ganzfried for spearheading this effort. An additional 275 meals were packaged at Continental catering hall—this project due to the efforts of Yanky Hirsh and Hillel Spira.
This entire food program is overseen by Reb Aron Leib Glanz.
Food: Vending Initiative
• Dror has initiated a new division of our food program in which we see to it that the food sent to Otisville and Fort Dix on a weekly basis is fresh and tasty. Each week the food is put into the prison vending machines by the authorized vendor, so that visitors may buy a fresh meal for their loved ones on visiting day. To help this process, we have partnered with multiple caterers who sponsor these meals.
• Last week’s sponsors were the Rose Castle owners Naftule Moshe Indig and Chananya Indig. Rose Castle executive chef, R’ Sinai Matjas deserves special thanks for his efforts in this endeavor.
• On Thursday, Ari Leib and Yoili Mendlowitz went down to New Jersey to meet with the owner of the vending machines in Fort Dix to make sure he has a dedicated machine and that it is stocked with kosher food. Dror representatives arranged that a company technician would be on site every day to ensure proper operation of the machines.
• Dror offices received a freezer thanks to the generosity of R’ Tovia Gedalia Fleischman and R’ Joel Brunner
Media Works
• A meeting was held in Monsey led by Dror’s esteemed director R’ Yoily Mendelowitz with Chaim Kompel, Shlomie Heller, together with Dror’s very own Nuchem Ornstein. The discussion focused on the maximization of the Internet/social media end of Dror’s general media campaign along with the Save-a-Life campaign.
• Yet another fruitful meeting took place between Dror askanim and Eli Ostreicher regarding many exciting events and new plans for the immediate and long-term future of the Dror mission.
• In an interview with BINA Magazine, Dror’s Rabbi Yoel Usher Labin spoke warmly about the importance of visiting inmates in prison, and the tremendous difference it makes in their lives.
• Michael Baldassare, Esq. of Baldassare & Mara, LLC placed an ad in the New Jersey Law Journal celebrating the award presented to them by Dror, thereby spreading the word about our mission.
• Mr. Ari Noe, CEO of OTR Media, came onboard the Dror team to help with our campaign by offering Dror the use of one of his billboards, strategically located on the BQE northbound, near Williamsburg.
Legal Matters
• Amrum Israel and Chaim H. Freund sat down with Bryan Fisher in Monsey on Wednesday to discuss legal issues pertaining to the cases of Dror constituents.
• There are two sentences awaiting one of our community members, one of 3 years and one of 8 years. Dror is working on combining the two cases.
• Dror assisted a father in obtaining a temporary leave from prison so he could attend his son’s wedding.
Transportation
• Rides were provided for visitors to Shawangunk and to Fort Dix, in which Dror sent its network drivers and paid gas and tolls.
Kids Corner
• Dror volunteers—led by Mrs. Obstfeld—took children of imprisoned parents to shop for camp necessities.
• Message that Yoel Mendelowitz received after the shopping spree: “I wanted to thank you and tell you that my girls came home on a high literally dancing. You can’t imagine what this did for them; they are practically ready for camp. For me it’s such a relief. I really didn’t know when and how I would manage all this with running to Otisville twice a week and… der z’chus zul eich beishtein.”
• Special thanks to R’ Shea Brook at Alef Institute for assisting families with summer camp expenses this season.