In Prison and Sick

Prison is the worst place to be when you have a serious medical condition. But that’s exactly where Michelle found herself after the government convicted her of fraud. While running a jewelry business with her husband, Michelle frequently purchased precious stones on consignment and credit. However, when customers didn’t pay, she began defaulting on payments to her suppliers. Eager to recover their funds, the dealers’ insurance companies contacted the authorities. After an investigation, the FBI took action, charging her with mail and wire fraud, and her husband with conspiracy. Because Michelle needs constant medical care, supervision and medication, she was placed in a medical prison. But given the severity and rarity of her condition, doctors there knew little about how to manage it. Luckily, she had the Aleph Institute.

After a fellow Jewish inmate told her about Aleph, she contacted the organization for help via prison email. They immediately replied and took charge of ensuring she would always receive the best healthcare—even if it meant getting approval to take her out of prison to top university hospitals when needed.

Aleph is “like an angel to me. They took care of me, brought me to the best hospitals. I didn’t suffer because of them,” she explained.

Because they had a young child at home, the couple was permitted to serve their time separately. Aleph helped their young daughter cope. “They sent her presents for me when I was inside,” she said, referring to Aleph’s Hanukah Gift-Giving Program.

And when prison doctors did anything wrong, Aleph was “right on top of it.”She describes an incident when prison doctors switched her medicine accidentally. Within 24 hours, Aleph contacted the facility and corrected the error. With her term now complete, Michelle is back home. Her husband, who was allowed to begin his sentence after she was released so their child wouldn’t be abandoned, is still in custody—completing his term in a halfway house. “Aleph still helps me when I can’t pay for my doctors,” Michelle said, stressing that “people must donate to Aleph because without Aleph, people like me wouldn’t survive.”