Our Update #8
Bloomgarten Campaign
• Kol Mevaser conducted an interview with attorney Jack Earley, Eli Ostreicher, our menahel Yoel Usher Labin, and Dayan Rav Gavriel Tzinner, to discuss the possibilities of overturning the Howard Bloomgarten verdict. At the interview, Eli Ostreicher announced that any donation of $180 and above would automatically enroll the donor in a raffle to win two free First Class tickets to any destination of the winner’s choosing. Eli also pledged to match every dollar brought in through this campaign.
• Tuesday, July 2: Zev Brenner led an on-air interview with Eli Ostreicher and attorney Jack Early.
• More than 30 rabbanim signed a kol korei announcing that it is a mitzvah of pidyon sh’vuim to contribute to this cause.
• Vos Iz Naies ran an article regarding Dror’s efforts in the Bloomgarten case.
• The Sighier Rav flew to California to visit with Mr. Bloomgarten.
• Wednesday saw the groundbreaking for Dror’s women’s movement. The first ladies’ event was held as a lunch at Cafe Shalva in Borough Park, organized by Mrs. Chani Waxler, Mrs. Blimi Kompel and the Dror staff. The dedicated women gathered to discuss how they can contribute to the Bloomgarten cause, and were warmly welcomed by our Director Chaim Kompel. The event hosted Howard Bloomgarten’s parents. Mrs. Bloomgarten shared a firsthand report, and thanked the Dror women for all they are doing for her son’s freedom.
• Dror’s summer “BBQ Campaign” kicked off with the first successful BBQ fundraiser evening at the home of Reb Zelig Landau.
• Special thanks for Shloime zeiger and Ovadya Waxler for making this event a success
• Special thanks to Chaim Kompel for arranging this beautiful event. (At this time we would like ask of all our volunteers to make us aware of anyone who could either host a Dror-sponsored BBQ after the 9 days, or would allow a Dror presentation at their private BBQ—enabling us to continue our vital work).
• Midway through the event, our beloved menahel and campaign coordinator Yoel Usher Labin received a call from none other than Howard Bloomgarten. Howard thanked the entire crowd for giving of their time and partaking in helping his cause.
Food Program
• Preparation of kosher food packages for prisoners and their families continued, with Rabbi Glancz overseeing the operation.
• Dror coordinator Yoeli Mendelowitz met with R’ Yisroel Chaim Shtesl to discuss the dairy meals being sent to the prisons in the 9 days. R’ Shtesl expressed his admiration for our initiative, and pledged his assistance for this project.
• Our sincere appreciation to Shalom Vitriol, proprietor of China Glatt, for sponsoring 250 healthy, hearty meals; Yossi Freund at Greenfield Food in Williamsburg for sponsoring 250 kosher meals; and the folks at Corner Cafe in Williamsburg for sponsoring 150 dairy meals for the 9 days. Our sincere appreciation to these establishments and their owners for their benevolence and spirit, lending a helping hand and feeding Jews in prison.
• Arye Leib Glancz, our dearest new Dror board member, was presented with a volunteer award for his dedication of time and energy to better the meals our yidden receive in prison.
Transportation & Visitation
• Our sincere appreciation to Mrs. Ornstein for arranging multiple rides to Otisville this week.
• Dror is currently finalizing arrangements for two groups of children to be allowed into two prison facilities for visitation.
In other news…
• Brian Fisher, former correctional department chief, attended Dror’s breakfast event, and met with Chaim Hersh Freund and Amrom Israel to discuss how they can best assist our brothers and sisters in prison.
• Chaim Hersh Freund gave an impassioned speech at the MDC in Brooklyn.
• The Dror legal team, headed by Chaim Hersh Freund and Amron Israel, put in a lot of hard work and b”h succeeded in commuting a prison sentence to a few months instead of five years.
• Tuesday, July 2nd, marked a new record as 11 phone calls for emergency aid came through on our emergency line. While we are here to be of assistance to our brethren who find themselves in need, it is nevertheless distressing to witness them in this situation.
Warm Wishes
• Warmest mazel tov wishes to Yossi Moskowitz and his family upon the birth of a baby boy.
• Our condolences to Anthony J. Annucci, the new correctional department chief on the passing of his dear mother at age 89. Dror’s legal team attended the funeral on Friday, July 5 to pay their respects.