First US prison synagogue stages new exhibit with story of Jewish inmates who built it

Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia has launched a new permanent exhibition, "Freedom through Faith: Judaism at Eastern State and Beyond," detailing the history of Jewish inmates and the prison's synagogue. Dedicated in 1929, the Alfred W. Fleischer Memorial Synagogue was the first known Jewish worship space in an American prison, built by inmates with external support. The exhibition, developed by Beth Tinker, explores the institution's Jewish history, the synagogue's role as a respite for Jewish prisoners, and the broader context of religious freedom for incarcerated individuals. Tinker stated, "We really wanted to focus on the congregants and their humanity as people rather than their mug shots and what crimes they had committed." The exhibit also highlights figures like Joseph Paull, a Jewish strongman who advocated for prisoners, and Rabbi Sabato Morais, the prison's first Jewish chaplain.