On Rikers Island, where thousands of incarcerated individuals live separated from the outside world by a literal narrow bridge, Jewish chaplains and community partners designed a siddur (prayer book) to meet them where they are. “The Very Narrow Bridge: A Rikers Island Siddur” debuted this summer, and its name, derived from the Hebrew song Gesher Tsar Meod and a teaching by Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav, captures both the physical and spiritual reality of its congregation.

This unique siddur is vibrant and inclusive. Its pages showcase bold text and bright hues. It contains prayers in Hebrew, English, Russian, and Ladino, with meditations on healing, poems written by current or former inmates, and accessible liturgy for diverse spiritual backgrounds. It replaces the fragile photocopied packets that previously served as the only Jewish prayer materials in the facility. 

The prayerbook was dedicated at two heartfelt ceremonies, in June, first at Rikers Island with DOC officials and again at Central Synagogue in Manhattan. Under the leadership of Rabbi Mia Simring and Rabbi Gabriel Kretzmer‑Seed, and guided by the New York Jewish Coalition for Criminal Justice Reform, this year-long effort brought representatives from the JCRC‑NY, Revson Foundation, NY Board of Rabbis, and others to the table. 

Driven by the desire to preserve spiritual dignity, Rachel Lissy, past coalition director, noticed the disposable nature of previous handouts, prompting a project that could provide long-term meaningful connection. The siddur reflects the chaplains’ shared goal: create a tool that is both spiritually substantial and accessible to all—Orthodox and secular, Jewish and “Jewish-curious,” regardless of background.

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Source: JTA, August 2025