An historic agreement was signed between the Russian Army Rabbinate and Samara Region Prison Authority to the benefit of Jewish prisons serving sentences in that district. The signing took place in the office of the commander of the area prisons, in the presence of a number of officials including Rabbi Aaron Gurwitz on behalf of the military rabbinate and Rabbi Shlomo Deutsch, rav of the Samara district, HaMevaser reports.

The agreement calls for increasing Torah classes for prisoners, permitting packages with kosher food, tashmishei kedusha, medicines and more. The rabbinate in recent years has succeeded in opening nine new functioning shuls and they continue to increase shiurei Torah to many districts.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)