Almost all of our clients who are incarcerated are men; they leave behind wives, children, mothers, fathers and/or other family members. We support these families throughout the whole judicial process and during incarceration with understanding, counseling and legal assistance by referring them to other agencies when necessary, on a case by case basis.  

We help them deal with the stigmas and ostracism in their communities. We form bridges between them and their loved ones, reassure them as to the status of their family member and sometimes helps to facilitate "Gets".

We call our families weekly or monthly, and support our families for as long as they need until they are back on their feet.       

OUR IMPACT   

  • There are 115 Jewish women who benefit from our family counseling programs and support groups; 30 women joined just this year. 
     
  • We assist families find financial resources. The social economic status of our population varies. More than 50% are low-income families and many lose all their assets through the criminal justice process.
     
  • We supported 30 families this year through the legal process by offering support in the courtroom and advocacy. 

 

 

 

 

Support Through the Legal Process

My son is fighting a court case. Hinda identified my son as a Jewish person a year ago in jail. They began immediately to provide support to him.

Chaplains from the Hinda Institute visit my son every week. Their help was completely unsolicited and they gave us real support. My son always felt traditional and was happy to see a rabbi visiting with tefillin and arranging kosher food.

They helped me to find a lawyer for his defense. They supported me each time I am in the courtroom and have even formed a defense support team. More importantly for me, they managed miraculously to secure a rehabilitation facility that would take him despite the pending charges as our justice system lumbered on.

He is now getting proper treatment for the first time ever. Through the kindness and help of the Hinda institute, I now have real hope for his improvement. I have also enjoyed attending their support groups for mothers and classes.

We are continuing to fight the court case; the process feels fragile to me but they continue to support us and are optimistic. Rabbi Scheiman says to think positively - this whole incident is ridiculous and we will win. In a weird way, this incident has been pivotal in creating community support for us and improvement for my son.

As we await justice, I’m most thankful for the Hinda Institute. The Hinda Institute helped me find an attorney, attended court with me and supported me throughout the stressful legal process.