Emuna in Shackles
Breslev Israel activist David Walker makes an amazing visit to prisoners in the Florida State Prison, and learns with them “The Garden of Emuna;” new hope for prison inmates…
Last week I visited a maximum security prison in Florida to work with the Jewish prisoners and spread emuna. David and Racheli Reckles, the Breslev Israel activists in the Miami area, asked me several times to tell them the details of the visit, so I thought perhaps everyone would like to know.
I was originally supposed to go with Rabbi Katz from the Aleph Institute, however, he needed to leave Florida for a week and asked me to go by myself. I was a bit nervous but I prayed to Hashem that He would give me the right words to say to these prisoners to uplift their souls. The State did a background check on me and off I went! These men have a very difficult life in prison and I asked Hashem to make me worthy of this task.
There was some time spent going through the security formalities; they made me leave my cell phone, go through the metal detector etc., and they gave me my ID tag, which was number 26. When I saw this number I knew everything would be OK and Hashem would bless me with the right words to say to the prisoners.
All of the prisoners that I came in contact with (even the non-Jewish ones in the general population) were respectful. It’s mandatory for everyone entering the prison including the guards, to wear a body alarm with an emergency button. I felt OK at all times even walking through the main yard when no guards were close by. The prison chaplain escorted me this way in order to get into the area where the Jewish prisoners would meet with me.I waited in a room and the prisoners entered one by one, until they were congregated together. I read the section of the Garden of Emuna where Rabbi Arush & Rabbi Brody write about life in prison, and then the prisoners and I discussed these pages in depth. There was also some time where I spoke individually with several prisoners about their specific situations.
They were very appreciative and they hung on every word. EVERY SINGLE prisoner asked for a copy of the book. I did not have enough books with me to give everyone a copy, however, Rabbi Katz is mailing books to those prisoners who did not receive one last week.
One man, Brian, who hopes to be released in the next two years, said that this visit was a turning point in his life. He wanted to know all about the book. We also talked about the importance of Hitbodedut and doing other Mitzvot and eating Kosher food. He was very excited to learn about the importance behind doing such things.
Another prisoner named Aaron was first incarcerated in the facility three weeks ago. He has been very scared and anxious since his arrival. At the beginning of my visit he sat at the back of the room, and little by little he moved his chair closer to where I was sitting, until he was right in front of me at the end! He told me this was the first time he felt “hope” since his prison life began.
They asked me if I can come back soon. Some of the guards also asked me to come back, which was nice.
They transferred me to a different prison nearby for the second half of the day. This prison was also maximum security, and contained only older men. It was a bit sad because most of these men that I worked with in this place were serving “life sentences” and perhaps some of them will die in the prison, which they obviously think about.
They loved hearing the section from the book about how Yosef HaTzaddik handled his stay in Pharaoh’s prison by showing great emuna. The Florida Department of Corrections is doing a “Pilot Program” on Kosher food in this prison. I explained to them what a HUGE mitzvah they can do with their lives by eating this Kosher food and if things go well, though their actions prisoners all over the state will be able to eat Kosher food. B’ezrat Hashem.
I told them the story from one of Rabbi Brody’s emuna CDs about someone who was rewarded greatly in Shemayim for a Quarter that fell from his pocket (without him even knowing), which another person used for a mitzvah. How much more so will they all be rewarded one day if all the Jewish prisoners can eat Kosher food because of their actions. They became very excited about this. I told them they can be role models to encourage their families outside the prison to do mitzvot, as well as using this time to elevate their neshamot each day here inside the prison.
At the end of our day I had all the men place their hand on the Holy Zohar and I said a blessing for them. They became very emotional and happy. One man said he felt the presence of G-d very strong at that moment! There was also a black man in the group named Van, who was not Jewish, although the other men joked that he wants to be. I told Van that my messages are 100% for him too and that everyone should have emuna. It was interesting that Van told me, out of the blue… “We have 515 prisoners in this prison.” since in the parsha just some days before my visit we read in the Torah about Moshe praying to Hashem 515 times.
The men told me it’s hard having emuna in a place with so much darkness and I told them Hashem listens EVEN MORE to them when they call out from such a place. Before I left I told the men that it was an honor and a privilege for me to spend time with them. This made them very happy. I don’t know who made who happier – me or them.
If you’d like to help sponsor the distribution of the Garden of Emuna in the IDF and among prison inmates, call 972-2-5323339; 972-52-2240696 or write rachel.avrahami@breslev.co.il
8/17/2010
David; You are GREAT! HASEM blessed you with many gifts and you know what to to with them! Many many Jewish people has to follow your special way
Rabbi Bar-Ami’ ISRAEL
8/17/2010
HASEM blessed you with many gifts and you know what to to with them! Many many Jewish people has to follow your special way
Rabbi Bar-Ami’ ISRAEL
8/15/2010
talkback problems I have sent several talkbacks, and although I don’t expect my comments to be published, I noticed that there are never any talkbacks. This is a shame: is the feature not working or is noone commenting? Im sure people have a lot to say about the amazing content on your website….
Please work on this feature.