Walls of hope: National Bible Quiz for prisoners

On Monday a Bible Quiz was held in Rimonim prison, which involved inmates from three provinces - North, Central and South.

890 prisoners registered for the quiz, and they had three months of rigorous learning when the final phase 12 finalists were facing this week, in an impressive ceremony held in Rimonim prison.

Quiz was attended by Rabbi Yitzchak David Grossman, who had previously won the prize "Father of Prisoners", Chief Rabbi David Lau, Public Security Minister Yitzchak Aharonovitz Prison Service Commissioner Lieutenant General Aharon Franco. Also participating were 33 rabbis from Prison Service, rabbis and 200 volunteers enrolled permanently with the prisoners.

Jury included the Chief Rabbi of IPS Colonel Rabbi Yehuda Yekutiel Wisner, Sg"d of Polachek, Gn"m Ronit Mazliach, Rabbi Eliyahu Gabai Gilboa prison commander. Rabbi Eliyahu Toledano Sharon Rabbi - served as secretary, and Rabbi Grossman who served president of the Jury.

The one who conducted the quiz is Neria Pinchas, who edits the national and international Bible Quizzes for over 25 years. Neria noted that the level of the contestants was very high.

Rabbi Grossman said in his speech that he was pleased to see the flowering of Torah prison wings, and asked all the prisoners, "While you are in jail, you do not have the hassles of income and other things. It's time to get closer to the Almighty." The Rabbi added that it says "Out of the Depths I will call to G-d. A parent who has a sick child stops everything and takes care of him. Thus G-d to his children whilst residing in prison becomes available to them, waiting for their prayers and their learning." The Rabbi added and said he admired the level of knowledge of participants in the quiz.

Singer and creator Elad Zafira sang at the event.
Chief Rabbi of the Israel Prison Service, Colonel Rabbi Yehuda Yekutiel Wisner spoke with B'Chadrei Charedim, and said that in the 60s there were quizzes. "When I took position I dreamed about quizzes in prisons nationwide. When appointed as the Prison Service Commissioner Lieutenant General Aharon Franco, he expressed his desire for Bible Quiz among the prisoners, and received the budget."

• How many prisoners registered for the quiz, and were there inmates who cannot participate in the quiz?

"890 prisoners registered for the quiz in all prisons in the country, when the applicants were men, women, and even those who are not Jews. Contenders went through a learning process which focused on values and virtues. Following initial screening was 600 contestants, and after tests and filters there are 12 dealing finalists".
"There was an extraordinary learning, candidates have spent hours and hours studying the material, and it was clear that the investment was worth."

Is there even secular among the contenders?

"We do not check people by yarmulkes, but hearts. Torah study as a facility. Our goal is to take the prison and use it to repair. There is Torah and worship, repentance, people who corrected themselves. I see the process of martyrdom. Currently we have 1100 Torah scholars in our Torah seminaries."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!