Mission Statement

The Aleph Institute is a non-profit Jewish religious, educational, and humanitarian organization offering services to imprisoned Jewish men and women and their families. No Jew is alone, and no Jew is forgotten

Aleph's History

The Aleph Institute - North East Region, was founded in Pittsburgh by Rabbi Moishe Mayir Vogel in 1991 to address the needs of incarcerated Jews distributed among facilities across the region. Beginning in the 1980's, the US prison system began to grow exponentially, scattering the same number of Jews even further, leading many to slip through the cracks of chaplaincy services. Most prisons did not provide Kosher food, and were unfamiliar with the needs of Jewish inmates wishing to follow Jewish practice. Today, there are 2.3 million people incarcerated in America, and among them are 85,000 Jewish men and women. The Aleph Institute works to provide these Jews - and their families - access to spiritual, educational, religious, and advocacy support services.

In the three decades since its founding, Aleph has worked to build strong relationships among rabbis, inmates, chaplains, and state officials. As the services provided increased, the need for a permanent office grew. in 2005, Aleph purchased a facility in the heart of Pittsburgh's Jewish community, Squirrel Hill, from which it continues to provide essential programs for incarcerated individuals and their families.

Today, The Aleph Institute has evolved into the nation's most effective advocate for Jewish prisoners and their loved ones. Involving faith-based organizations, like The Aleph Institute, has been shown to reduce recidivism rates from 77% to just 8%. Aleph's longstanding programs and services across local, state, and federal prisons have gained the endorsement of a skeptical prison system, thereby according Aleph a unique level of confidence and responsibility.

If you know someone in prison - or a family member of an inmate - who needs help, please do not hesitate to call Aleph. We stand with our motto, "No One Alone, No One Forgotten".

What We Do

We are a non-profit 501 (C)(3) religious organization that provides relief for incarcerated Jews and their families who tend to be overlooked by traditional American Jewish organizations. The Aleph Institute struggles against challenging odds to reach Jewish inmates who are scattered throughout the national prison system, state hospitals, and group homes. The programs and services of Aleph are designed to attain maximum impact not only within the prison environment, but also during the transition period after incarceration when a sense of religious community can help former convicts rebuild their lives as productive citizens. The success of Aleph's programs attests to the power of its Torah-based approach to serving prisoners, their families, and humanity.

Some programs are designed specifically for the Jewish population; however, our programs are not restricted to the Jewish community and we serve the broader community, as well, both in prison and in re-entry. Our center is open daily, and we see over 300 men and women every week who come for programs that help them improve their lives and stay healthy and productive. We assist with housing, social services, access to healthy food and healthcare, and employment resources.