Federal Judge Orders Florida Prison System To Reinstate Kosher Meal Plan
Image by COURTESY OF ALEPH INSTITUTE
A U.S. federal judge has ordered the Florida prisons service to provide kosher meals to all prisoners with a “sincere religious basis” for doing so.
The ruling issued earlier this month requires the order be implemented by July 1, the Miami Herald reported Tuesday.
The ruling comes after the Florida Department of Corrections has dragged its feet on reinstituting kosher meals in its state prisons. The department of corrections had promised to offer kosher meals in all of its facilities by the end of this year.
In August 2012, the U.S. government sued the corrections department in federal district court in Miami for ending its kosher meal service, saying the current meal policy violates the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 that allows prisoners to worship according to their religious beliefs. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of 13 inmates.
Kosher meals are now offered at one state prison, according to the Herald.
The department had cancelled its kosher meal service six years ago, citing the expense. An average of 250 inmates used the kosher meal service, including Muslims, the Associated Press reported. The state now offers vegetarian and vegan options. At least 35 states and the federal government provide kosher diets in prison.
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
