What goes through a person’s mind when they’re told—before even stepping into the courtroom—that they’ve been sentenced to 27 years in prison?

In this raw and deeply moving conversation, on the Meaningful People Podcast with Nachi Gordon, Reb Shalom Mordechai Rubashkin takes us inside the moments that changed his life forever: hearing the sentence, choosing emunah over despair, surviving years behind bars, and holding on when there was no visible way out.

He recounts the unforgettable moment, on the final day of Chanukah, when he was suddenly told, “Rubashkin, get out” – the instant he realized he had been pardoned by President Trump, and that the chapter he never thought would end was finally behind him.

He also shares an astonishing, totally unexpected legal victory that came years after his release, following unshakable bitachon expressed around a family Seder during Covid, when there was no logical reason to hope for good news.

This is not just a story about prison or justice. It’s a masterclass in faith under fire, resilience in the face of total powerlessness, and what it truly means to trust Hashem when everything says not to.

From the courtroom to solitary confinement, from despair to unexpected freedom, Rubashkin explains how emunah transformed punishment into purpose – and why the greatest freedom begins long before the prison doors open.

A story of darkness, light, and the strength to keep believing when there is no visible way out.

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