Kahane Transferred to Allenwood

Rabbi Meir Kahane was transferred today to the federal minimum security prison at Allenwood, Pa. after a Federal Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that he was entitled to kosher food as a federal prison inmate.

Barry Slotnick, attorney for the founder of the Jewish Defense League, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that it was his understanding that, under the agreement by the U.S. government to comply with the ruling, all Jewish prisoners under federal detention requesting kosher food would hereafter be provided such a diet which will include rabbinically-certified kosher meat and fowl.

Federal Judge Jack Weinstein, who sentenced Kahane last March to a year in prison for parole violation, ordered Kahane to serve his term at the Allenwood facility and to receive kosher food there U.S. government attorneys challenged the kosher food order, which was uphold by a lower court and yesterday by the appeals court.

While the appeals court order said only that Kahane was entitled to nutritionally-balanced kosher meals, which he is getting by restricting his diet at the Allenwood facility to vegetables, fruits and such fish as tuna, Slotnick said Kahane would start getting kosher meat meals probably next week, Slotnick said he had been informed that federal officials were discussing with local kosher caters provision of kosher meat meals to Kahane.

When the government rejected Weinstein’s order that Kahane be provided kosher food at the Allenwood facility, the judge allowed Kahane to stay at a half-way detention house in Manhattan, pending outcome of the court battle, Kahane was given permission to leave the facility daily to go to kosher restaurants and to synagogue for worship, Slotnick said that, with time off for good behavior, Kahane would probably complete his sentence by the end of January.