"Leeder has worked with men who have been incarcerated for life; she has seen the redemption and humanity that one rarely hears of about such people."
Elaine (Sneierson) Leeder is Social Science Dean Emerita and Professor Emerita of Sociology at Sonoma State University. She has 44 years of teaching experience, including working in prisons with convicted felons. Leeder was visiting scholar at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and a recipient of the Real Hero Award by the America Red Cross for her prison work. She has written six books, one of which MY LIFE WITH LIFERS: LESSONS FOR A TEACHER, HUMANITY HAS NO BARS, is used in colleges around the country. Leeder (a very distant relative of the Rebbe) is honored to be included in this panel since being a Jew and her prison work are core pieces of her identity.
My proposed project would entail contacting synagogues throughout California, and then the rest of the country to present the following power-point presentation to their congregants. The presentation could be either on zoom or in person, depending on the location of the synagogue. I would attempt to do at least one a month for the one year duration of the fellowship.
- Introduction: Background as child of Holocaust refugee; Jewish upbringing and values inculcated
- Interest in understanding the nature of evil and why one perpetrates violence
- Background on Jews in prison
- A colorful history of Jews in prison
- Case examples of Jews I have worked with
- Stories of groups I have run with Jews
- Stories of victim/offender dialogues I have done with Jewish participants
- Restorative Justice as it relates to Jewish values.
- Discussion on Rebbe Schneerson’s writings on prisons and how they impact those incarcerated.
8. What Jewish values have I seen in my work
- Tzedek (Justice and injustice in the prison system)
- Chesed (grace and compassion)
- Teshuvah (the return of inmates to their earlier, pre-incarceration selves)
- Uniqueness
- Caring for the Stranger
- The infinite value of each human life
Questions and Discussion
For the past twenty-five years Elaine (Sneierson) Leeder has been working in prisons in NY and California. First as a professor, then a self-help group trainer and now as a victim/offender dialogue facilitator Leeder has worked with men who have been incarcerated for life; she has seen the redemption and humanity that one rarely hears of about such people. Leeder has worked with Jewish prisoners and will tell you about her experiences with these Jews but also about how her Jewish values inform and influence her work. She will elaborate on Rebbe Sdchneerson’s writings on people in prison and the impact that has on their self-development.
