Let's Step In - To Take Her Out! Pidyon Shevuyim of Woman Poised to Be Released From Prison

By M.C. Millman

People change over time. Some more – some less.

When Miriam Spitz was sentenced to twenty-five years of prison, she had twenty-one years to change – and she did. Metamorphosizing from a girl lost to the street after being involved with the wrong kind of friends into a baalas teshuvah who has transformed into someone who positively inspires those around her.

With a minimum of four years left to her sentence, the court presided over by Judge J'emic decided two weeks ago that Miriam adequately served her time and paid the price for the folly of her youth and is a candidate for early release. 

"I must say," Mr. Allen Lowey, a lawyer helping with Miriam's case, "without the amazing support of your community, this would never have happened."

The last hurdle to her release is convincing the parole board that Miriam will not burden society. Already having been taken under the wing of a group of Monsey women who have consistently visited and supported her while incarcerated and who will continue to do so once she is released, all that is left is one element: proof of ample funds for food, clothing, and shelter – enough to support Miriam for a year. She will also need legal fees for an immigration lawyer once she is home as she is still not a U.S. citizen, having immigrated from the Soviet Union at a young age. With this in place, Miriam could be released in the blink of an eye and as early as tomorrow.

This is a woman whose inspiration culled from Torah, and Yiddishkeit is so strong, given her strength as a mashpiah, that even the correctional officers she knew over the years come back to visit her.

"When Miriam gets out," says Lowey, "she will be an inspiration to anyone who regretfully ends up in the same situation, inspiring them to believe and have faith in Hashem that all will be fine... Right now, I'm just a link in the chain helping Miriam."

To become another link in the chain of those zoche to help Miriam by participating in a rare opportunity of Pidyon Shevuyim click here.

Photo Credit: Flickr