Official: Pa. inmates claim to be Jewish for meals
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YORK, Pa. (AP) – Officials at a central Pennsylvania prison say some inmates are falsely claiming to be Jewish in order to get kosher meals.
Warden Mary Sabol says that has led to a dramatic spike in food costs at the York County Prison.
County acting solicitor Donald Reihart says officials must honor valid religious conversions. But he says that’s not the case with many inmates.
Reihart says some prisoners game the system because they think kosher meals taste better than regular ones. Officials dispute any quality difference.
A prison spokesman says kosher meals are prepared outside the facility while regular ones are made on-site. The type of food varies on a pre-set schedule.
The prison has about 2,300 inmates. According to the York Daily Record, more than 140 are requesting kosher meals.