Let Jewish Inmates Wear Yarmulkes

A little over a month ago, we reported on a new trend in Florida that would grant inmates of its correctional institutions access to kosher meals, if they should choose to ask for them.

Then, last Friday, Gawker mentioned that the trend is costing the Sunshine State a pretty penny, and that most of the inmates that did request kosher meals aren’t actually Jewish.

Doesn’t seem likely they’ll continue to receive any kosher delicatessen.

Now, in the latest news to concern prison and Jews, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has verbally attacked the Wyoming Department of Corrections for prohibiting a Jewish prisoner from wearing his yarmulke at all times.

The ACLU added that doing so is a violation of the inmate’s religious freedoms.

In a letter sent to the Wyoming Department of Corrections on Jan. 9th, the ACLU stated that prisoners should be allowed to wear kippahs (yarmulkes) at all times, and that prohibiting them to do is violates the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000.

Currently, Wyoming’s Department of Corrections allows prisoners to wear yarmulkes only in his own cell or during religious services, citing ‘security concerns’ as the reason.

The ACLU asks that the Department change its policy on the matter, saying Jewish prisoners should be allowed to at least wear baseball hats at all times.