Wendy Medina

Rabbi Yochanan Friedman, who directs Chabad by the Sea in Santa Cruz, leads a session of Choices for Life at the chapel at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Correctional Training Facility in Soledad. As a prison chaplain with over 10 years of service and thousands of hours leading Torah classes, Friedman works to help those incarcerated derive personal inspiration from the ancient wisdom of the Torah. “I wanted actionable Torah teachings tailored to the specific experience these guys are going through,” he said. The core idea of Choices for Life, which Friedman created with his father Rabbi Manis Friedman, centers around the critical distinction between merely existing and truly living, emphasizing that conscious choices are key to creating a life of purpose, meaning and happiness. (Shmuel Thaler – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Santa Cruz rabbi brings purpose to incarcerated men through Choices for Life class

July 11, 2025 at 11:43 a.m.

The power in seeking help is rarely recognized, but there is strength in the choice to transform. At the root of a self-help class at the Soledad Correctional Training Facility...

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