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Haredi man holds son's bar mitzvah in jail

Wealthy prisoner in New York manages to arrange six-hour, catered party with several dozen guests in gym of Manhattan federal prison

As Jewish teenagers and their families strive to throw outrageous bar mitzvahs, one New York family held an event that was, in fact, an outrage: A wealthy haredi man, serving time in a New York correctional facility, was somehow able to host his son's bar mitzvah within prison walls, in flagrant violation of prison rules and safety regulations.

 

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg ordered an investigation into the matter after Tuvia Stern succeeded in organizing a six-hour party for his son's big day in the gym of a Manhattan federal prison.

 

Sixty guests, among them prominent rabbis, a singer and a band, were invited to attend. Expensive kosher catering was available to the guests and Stern was allowed to wear civilian clothes instead of his prison uniform.

 

Not only was the party itself a violation of prison rules, since prisoners are not allowed to hold private gatherings within the confines of the jail, but it turns out that many of the guests brought knives into the prison in order to enjoy the bar mitzvah feast, a gross violation of prison safety regulations.

 

In addition, event attendees were not required to leave their cellular telephones at the entrance as other prison visitors are required to do.

 

Apparently, this is not the first bash Stern has hosted from the prison. A few months into his incarceration, he held an engagement party for one of his children that was attended by ten relatives.

 

Pursuant to Bloomberg's preliminary investigation, several of the prison staff were punished. The prison rabbi who organized the bar mitzvah was suspended for two weeks.

 


פרסום ראשון: 06.13.09, 17:13
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