This guy sure has chutzpah.
A career criminal befriended by rabbis at a Brooklyn Heights synagogue - who gave him food and money - returned the favor by busting into the house of worship and stealing whatever he could, police sources said.
Career Criminal Befriends Rabbis, then Robs Them
This guy sure has chutzpah.
A career criminal befriended by rabbis at a Brooklyn Heights synagogue – who gave him food and money – returned the favor by busting into the house of worship and stealing whatever he could, police sources said.
Despite the thefts at Congregation B’Nai Avraham, its leaders are determined not to turn their back on the suspect, who has 29 arrests on his record and an apparent drug problem.
“I feel you have to separate the person from the act,” said Rabbi Aaron Raskin. “If he’s a thief, don’t let him in. But what, you don’t feed him? He should die? No.
”It’s a hard message and I have many congregants who disagree with me, but I do not think you should not help the person.“
Suspect Davis Duvallya, 43, most recently tried to break into the Remsen St. synagogue on Thursday at 3:30 a.m., but a cleaner scared him off, according to Raskin and police.
Duvallya was already wanted for failing to appear in court July 28, when he was to be sentenced for burglarizing the temple on March 3 and taking a stereo and a charity box containing about $50.
Duvallya was still being sought late yesterday, and the 84th Precinct has stationed an officer in a patrol car outside the brownstone that houses the synagogue.
He apparently gave a fake address to cops. When the Daily News tried to find him at the Carlton Ave. location yesterday, it did not exist.
In a previous break-in at the synagogue, a laptop computer and toaster were stolen. And last summer, police said, a thief twice broke a window and got inside.
Duvallya is a suspect in all the incidents, as well as one or two other break-in attempts going back two years or so, police sources said. The suspect has a record dating back to 1991, including two years in prison for burglary.
Raskin and another rabbi, Simcha Weinstein, said they befriended Duvallya several years ago, giving him a dollar or two whenever he asked. Raskin also said the suspect would occasionally stop by and ask for food, a request granted without hesitation.
Outside the temple yesterday, Fay Preddie, 51, a nanny whose young charge attends a preschool at the synagogue, said the suspect has told her how much he depends on its charity – and good food – to get by.
”But if they’re helping him and he’s breaking in I would not give him anything,“ she said. ”That is not right.”
RABBI, What are you saying?
>>>>> “I feel you have to separate the person from the act,” said Rabbi Aaron Raskin. “If he’s a thief, don’t let him in. But what, you don’t feed him? He should die? No.<<<<
Acting like Mother Teresa doesn’t score points with your supporters. Keep such comments to yourself, and be tough on the criminal. Would you say the same if he was an Arab? A Nazi?
Crime against you isw crime! Your supporters will not support such a sympathetic view of THEIR shul.
Chaim
To first commenter
You are out of your mind and have no business commenting or telling off anyone.
How dare you disrespect the rabbi or the thief like that.
Why do so many people have to pick at things and find some made up ill thought and tear people apart.
What is the whole idea of the Aleph Institute?
Our outlook as Chasidim is something along the lines of “Love your fellow as yourself”.
Because he stole he should be put in chairem?
I wouldn’t let him in my home I am no fool but I would give him some bread and water.
Random acts of kindness!!!
To #2
Random acts of Kindness is a wonderful thing. But not if you belong to the synagogue and keep paying for the rabbi’s poor judgement of going public with his mercy for this theif.
The theif keeps coming back! This isnt Ahavas Yisroel.. this makes the rabbi an enabler to the theifs ways.
You want to give him food and water? Give it to him through the police. But not through the door he keeps breaking into. As a member of the congragation, I think the rabbi is acting foolish with our support.
I love my shul
B’nai Avraham is my shul. Rabbi Raskin never says that the thief should not face the consequences of his actions. Rabbi Raskin’s views reflect the true essence of “gemilut hasadim”. I support Rabbi Raskin 100% and am honored to call him “my Rabbi.’”
Get out of here!
To Chaim:
So, does that mean he should just get away
with the crime?
There is a famous saying from
Chazal: “If you are merciful to the cruel, you
will wind up being cruel to the merciful.”
So, if you give the criminal the impression
that what he did is no such a big deal, you will
be responsible for him continuing to victimize (be cruel)
innocent (merciful) people.
Of course you don’t let him die. In prison they don’t
do that; their needs (food, medical, beds, entertainment, etc.) are taken of.
Should he go to prison? I mean, this guy seems to be a pathological thief. He’s been in jail before for this,
but he still steals! Now, Rabbi Raskin is being kind to him, but he still steals! Chaim, tell us, what do you think should be done to keep him from harming others like this? What’s to stop him from commiting a more serious crime, CH”V?
I know you love Torah
I think it is very heartening to hear the Rabbi’s reaction. By separating the person from the act, I think he is referring more to the basics of ALL men in the image of Hashem, wicked, perhaps, but an image bearer non-the less. If Hashem wept at the Egyptians being swept away, why would he not for this man if we were to cheer his demise? The morning service begins with, “I take on the commandment to love my fellow man as myself”, as the previous poster commented, and as Hillel said, “that is the whole Torah, the rest is commentary”. I agree that they shouldn’t continue to put their neck out to cut off their own heads, but basic needs are the mainstay of tzedakah…isn’t that what makes the world go round, and not possessions?
I do see your point BTW, about it being hard if the Rabbi is being foolish with your funding, but ultimately I must agree with his stance as I read it.