The Jewish Telegraphic Agency website reports today (February 12, 2012) that a federal judge in Nevada has ordered that the state's Department of Corrections refrain from serving a new menu to inmates who keep kosher, thus saving the state about $1.5 million a year.
In an injunction on February 10, Judge Gloria Navarro prevented the department from serving a new "common fare" menu to inmate Howard Ackerman, 51, an Orthodox Jew.
Ackerman -- who is serving a life sentence for kidnapping -- said in a lawsuit that the meals will not be kosher, which violates his First Amendment right of religious freedom.
Jacob Hafter -- Ackerman's attorney who is also an Orthodox Jew -- said the new menu includes sausage, which renders it non-kosher. The judge set a hearing date on the case for April 18.
