From Prison Guard to Jew: A Soul’s Unexpected Journey to Judaism

A Hasidic couple is wrongly accused of fraud and thrown into an American prison. After six painful days, their strength and faith leave a deep impression on a prison guard who begins her path toward Torah and conversion.

Carol Sarah Harris, who now lives in Austria and has completed halachic conversion (according to Jewish law), shared her powerful story in the 'Katifa' newspaper from 'Yated Ne’eman', the story of how she became Jewish.

“I grew up in a poor African-American family,” Carol begins. “We were part of the lowest social class in America. My parents were in and out of prison. Until the age of two, I lived with my mother behind bars. That’s where my life started.”

Throughout her childhood, prison was a constant part of her life. “My siblings went in and out of jail. It was normal for us. When I was ten, I was sent to a government boarding school. I didn’t even cry. I was used to being uprooted.”

Thankfully, she had a counselor who saw potential in her. “This woman believed in me. She spoke to me often and inspired me to take a different path. Eventually, I joined a special program to become a prison guard.”

The idea of working in a place so tied to her past was deeply emotional. “It was hard. Every day brought back memories. But I held on, hoping I could be part of fixing the world, even just a little. I helped set up classrooms in prison. Some girls finished school and didn’t return. Each one was a success in my eyes.”

Carol’s life might have continued like this if not for an encounter that would change everything, when she met a Hasidic Jewish couple who had been arrested on false charges of fraud.

Ita, the woman from the couple, joins the conversation. “I grew up in a Hasidic home and married young. My husband got an offer from his cousin in America to invest in stocks. We took a big loan, hoping it would help us buy a home. We traveled to the U.S., signed papers, and prepared to return to Israel. But just before boarding our flight, we were arrested.”

The FBI was investigating a major stock scam, and the couple was caught in the middle. They were placed in separate cells in a harsh and frightening prison.

“I was terrified,” Ita recalls. “The conditions were terrible. I pulled out my Tehillim (Book of Psalms) and cried out to Hashem. I missed my twin toddlers so much.”

In that dark place, she met Carol, the guard who treated her differently. “Ita wasn’t like anyone I’d seen before,” Carol remembers. “She was so broken but filled with this unshakable faith. She told me about her children and her beliefs. I couldn’t believe her strength.”

Carol did everything she could to help them. She arranged for the couple to be placed in a quieter, more private area. What struck her most was the support the couple received. “Their community stood by them with such love. It touched me deeply. I had never experienced that kind of unity.”

After six days, the couple was freed thanks to Jewish activists. But the impact on Carol remained. “When they left, I felt so empty. I started reading about Jews and Judaism. I wanted to understand who they were.”

She soon reached out to Ita, whose contact information she had kept. “I want to leave my prison life behind,” she told her, and the two cried together.

The couple invited Carol to stay with them. For six months, she learned eagerly and grew closer to Torah and mitzvot. “Conversion is not easy,” she admits. “It’s a long, demanding process, but I felt Hashem was guiding me.”

Eventually, Carol became a full-fledged member of the Jewish people. She married a righteous convert like herself, and the two now live in Austria, raising a pair of twins in a Torah home.

Looking back, Ita reflects, “At first, we couldn’t understand why Hashem sent us to such a horrible place. But now we know. Through our struggle, Carol’s pure soul found its way home to Judaism.”