The Florida Department of Corrections agreed to serve kosher food to
Jewish inmates, ending a five-year struggle that saw the US
Justice Department file a lawsuit against the state.
The Florida
Department of Corrections eliminated its prison kosher food program in
August, 2007, at which time an estimated 250 prisoners in Florida were
enrolled in the meal program.
However, a Justice Department
complaint filed last year accused Florida of
impinging on Jewish prisoners' rights through its failure to offer kosher food, citing a violation of the Religious Land
Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 which protects
prisoners' freedom of worship.
The Chabad-Lubavitch Aleph Institute, which serves the interests of Jewish inmates and soldiers around the nation, praised Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s strong advocacy on behalf of the inmates.
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