The talk on "documenting prison life" sounds like it would be an interesting presentation, but I question the sechel of including it in a conference on integrity. Surely prisoners have to deal with and overcome tremendous challenges, but do we really want to glorify criminals as models of integrity just because they figured out how to insist on mehadrin food and tefillin while in prison? What about the lack of integrity that often got them there?
I would propose that such a talk, as I said that is surely interesting and could even perhaps be inspiring, possibly, be held at a separate time, in a separate venue, on its own. Not as part of a conference on integrity. Surely there is what the public could learn from such people who had to deal with these situations, particularly to try to not get into these situations but even how to overcome hardships and challenges, but ti should be done in a different way.
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Not having seen the video, I would guess that it is portraying those in prison as regretting their actions that landed them there in the first place to serve as a disincentive for others to act as they did.
ReplyDeleteYes, hopefully the intent of the video is akin to the "scared straight" program, not "look at the tzurus the goyyim put on our fellow yidden who by virtually no fault of their own except a desire to be able to give more tzedaka ended up in the pen."
ReplyDeleteI was there and watched the video. It was NOT at all about how frum inmates stay frum in prison. It was about the wretched life that all inmates and especially frum ones experience in prison. The explicit message that all those interviewed expressed was "Don't do it. Don't screw up your life for a quick buck". This was in conjunction with speakers who addressed the theme from halachic and legal aspects.
ReplyDeleteThe video was a small part of the entire program which ran for close to three hours.
What does prison life have to do with business ethics? Does Lakewood hold from business ethics because gentiles made some laws against it, or because HKB"H made laws against it (and even called it a "toyeyva")?
ReplyDeleteMark, don't be rediculous. "Lakewood" can hold from business ethics because of HKB"H, but in the real world that's not enough of a deterrent for some people, but the reality of jail may be. Read the previous commenter who said that the video was a small part of the entire program. Rabbi Frand's speech did focus on emuna.
ReplyDeleteRafi, I think you needs to re-write this post which is being used by the anti-"Lakewood" crowd here and elsewhere on the internet.
Mark: That part of the presentation was included in the spirit of this gemara:
ReplyDelete"They said to him: Master, bless us. He said to them,: May it be [God's] will that the fear of heaven shall be upon you like the fear of flesh and blood. His disciples said to him: Is that all? He said to them: If only! You can see, for when a man wants to commit a transgression, he says, I hope no man will see me." (Berachos 28b)
And yes, the blog host should change the headline. I doubt that is what they meant, and it is not in the spirit of being dan le kaf zechus to write that.
ReplyDeleteI changed the title. I still think there is something strange about including that presentation as part of this conference, but I appreciate that the presentation wasnt how it originally sounded it would be
ReplyDelete