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Jewish Man Forced to Sign Ticket on Shabbos

by Sandy Eller – VosIzNeias

A twenty seven year old Jewish man from Brooklyn found himself facing a difficult dilemma after crossing against a red light on his way to Chabad of Downtown Los Angeles on Shabbos morning.

A policeman who ticketed him for jaywalking insisted that he either sign the ticket or be arrested and taken in to the local precinct for booking.

According to the man, who asked not to publish his name, the incident occurred at the corner of West 7th and Grand Streets in downtown Los Angeles. The man was on his way to Chabad of Downtown Los Angeles, located at West 7th Street and Broadway when he was approached by the officer, three blocks from where the infraction occurred.

Particularly disturbing was what appeared to be the anti-Semitic attitude of the police officer, according to the Brooklyn man, who felt that his religious rights were violated in the incident.

“My only choice was to sign the ticket or go to jail in his car,” the Brooklyn man told VIN News. “I explained to him that why I couldn’t sign the ticket. I told him to check my pockets so he could see I didn’t have a penny on me or any identification to prove that I am Jewish. He said ‘Just sign. G-d won’t be upset at you.’ I told him the Rabbi was right next door in the synagogue and asked if I could just go ask him if I should sign the ticket or face arrest, but he didn’t let me move away from the spot where he stopped me saying, ‘You aren’t going anywhere before you sign.’ It was clear that he knew that Jewish law prohibited me from signing the ticket, but he had no interest in my allowing me to uphold my religious rights.”

Feeling he had no other choice, the Brooklyn man signed the ticket, to which the officer allegedly responded, “Enjoy your Shabbos and keep safe.”

Sergeant Mitzi Fierro of the Media Relations section of the LAPD was dismayed to learn of the incident and said that while this incident took place outside the typically Orthodox areas of Los Angeles the LAPD, particularly in the Wilshire, North Hollywood and Van Nuys divisions which have large Jewish populations, prides itself on being sensitive to the religious needs of the people it serves.

“It is in fact, the policy of the Los Angeles Police Department to allow each person the right to exercise their religious freedom,” Sergeant Fierro told VIN News. “In this particular case, while I am not privy to exactly what occurred on that particular day, if the officer believed it was necessary to cite Mr. D, then he should have been allowed to receive his ticket in a manner that would not violate his religious beliefs. We spend hours training our officers, and conduct community outreach to all of our different communities within the city, including the Orthodox Community. I am at a loss as to why this officer would have forced the issue, unless he was unaware of this particular practice.”

Efforts to reach Sergeant Fierro’s commanding officer were unsuccessful.

While the Brooklyn man is hoping to put this incident behind him, he is hoping that others can learn from his unfortunate experience, which left him facing a hefty fine.

“Jaywalking is strictly enforced in Los Angeles,” he advised. “If you get ticketed for jaywalking, it will cost you $200 and if you refuse to sign a ticket, even on Shabbos, you will not only get arrested but will be fingerprinted, booked and have to return at a later time for a court date.”

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21 Comments

  • never sign if you are frum

    if he would not sign and they would arrest him because it was shabbos he would be able to sue

  • a jew in los angeles in front of chabad

    i got same ticket right in front of shul on a weekeday and will fight it in the month of ADAR.
    the officer was very hostile towards jewish people. i was one of a few who got a ticket that morning for walking five feet into street before it turned green in the crosswalk

  • exact story

    this story happened to yossi raichik a“h about 40 years ago and they wanted ”id” he made them follow him to his house his house on shabbos…..

  • TO #4

    To #4 you always run?
    maybe you should try and keep to laws instead of always running!!

  • Milhouse

    #9, What they do to you is beyond your control. What you do is not. But for some people being held in jail for hours or overnight ch”v could be a sakonoh, and bichlal the fear of being arrested is probably enough to justify doing things with a shinuy, esp since it’s a melocho she’eino tzricho legufoh.

  • LA MORAH

    please be aware that the downtown LA area police ZEALOULY give jay walking tickets.just don’t do it.

  • um..

    firstly to #9 don’t say left hand what if he was a lefty?!?!?!?! also i think he did the right thing tell me whats better: 1) sign with his Opposite hand and leave or 2)have to ride in the police car to go to the Police office then get fingerprinting………………..

  • thickhead

    oy vay

    he should have not crossed the street

    dina dimalchusa dina

    and pikuach nefesh also since what if takeh he could be hit by a car for J walking

    the policeman only meant it to help him

    and he could sign with a shinouy

    and he could also pay the money with a shinouy

    and he should be a fine law abiding citizen

    and he should be punished for braking the law

  • From Los Angeles

    He did the right thing by signing. Better that than going to jail!! BUT, what he should’ve done was given the officer the wrong name and address. My brother and his friend had this happen to them in Pico-Robertson a few years ago and they had no ID. They just gave a made-up name and address.

  • ...

    I’m so glad all the pseudo rabbanim above have paskined what the individual should have done.
    I have spoken to Rabbanim and never got a straight answer, it’s a very complicated issue. The general consensus was to sign with a Shinuey.
    (All the responses above reminds me of the urban legend with Rabbi Piekarski and the Litvak that tried to get smicha but was asked harder questions than all the Lubavitchers. When confronted, supposedly Rabbi Piekarski said the Lubavitcher young men would never try to paskin halacha but you (the Litva)need to know your stuff)

  • To #18

    Prohibitions against jay walking are found in the California Vehicle Code. In the CVC you will also find prohibitions against drunk driving, speeding and going through a red light, all of which are subject to criminal liabilities.
    Why are you subjecting the public to your ignorant drivel.

  • Be fair

    He did the right thing. He signed it and was on his way. If he didn’t sign it, he would have been taken in the police car, been in holding, then he would have to do fingerprinting, and he would miss davening and lunch and seuda shelishit. In addition his family would be worried sick and then there would have been a good chance they would be mechalel shabbat by calling the police.
    This would be a good law suit. He should press charges.

  • #20

    Why would it be a good law suit?
    As per Lemon v. Kurtzman, this would in no way violate the establishment clause and the police have every right to force you to sign or go to jail.