The forgotten Jewish stories of America's most feared prison

Following President Donald Trump's declaration of his intention to reopen Alcatraz, it's time to also learn about our connection to the infamous place. How did Jews obtain matzah during Passover, and what happened to the prisoner who tried to escape using sign language? The myth of Alcatraz, "The Rock," was built on escape, despair, and hopelessness. But behind the concrete walls, among flashy gangsters and bank robbers, lies a multi-faceted Jewish history – a story of crime, identity, and