Thursday Nights Precinct Council Meeting
CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [CHI] — Over 200 Jewish men and women gathered Thursday evening for the monthly 71st precinct council meeting at I.S. 61 on Empire Boulevard and New York Avenue. Those gathered had one primary concern on their minds: the way police handled an incident, which took place on Wednesday afternoon and ended with the arrest of a Jew.
Deputy Inspector Peter Simonetti began the meeting by addressing that particular incident.
Simonetti said that according to a police investigation, the incident began with a 14-year-old Black male “poking fun” at Rabbi Boruch Sholom Wolf, a Yungerman in the community. The teenager yelled at Wolf in attempt to scare him, yet there was no physical contact. A few people who witnessed the incident came over to help out the Jew, at which point an altercation broke out.
“From our investigation, which was corroborated by independent witnesses, it turned out that one of the Jews threw the first punch,” said Simonetti, adding, “Therefore, we arrested both the 14-year-old youth and the 42-year-old Jewish man, and we are looking into the possibility of another suspect.”
Wolf took the floor and began with his first question to the Inspector, opening with, “I am the person who was assaulted, and I stand before you in deep pain.” Wolf proceeded to relay his side of the story. With his prepared statement he told those present, “Yesterday I was accosted by an African American stranger. Another stranger, a Jew whom I have never met before, stood up to the evil face of violence, putting himself in harm’s way in order to protect me. And harmed he was.” [see the video clip for the full speech]
All throughout Wolf’s speech, the Inspector continually interrupted him, attempting to throw him off, to which Wolf said, “I let you speak. Now I am” repeatedly.
Following Wolf’s speech, Simonetti targeted his credibility, stating that Wolf conveniently did not remember certain parts of the incident when he was questioned by police. “In your statements you told detectives that you did not see what happened two feet in front of you,” he said, to which Wolf responded, “Well, did you ever get mugged? Have you ever been traumatized by crime?”
Simonetti then attacked the credibility of this website, CrownHeights.info, saying several different times, “There is a website that reported this story wrong… he is scaring this community with false information.” He added, “The person running this website is in the audience.”
In reaction to this, Binyomin Lifshitz stood up and responded passionately, “I am the person running this website. And it is you, Inspector Simonetti, who barred me from getting the right information. It was you who told me that you would not sit at the same table as me, and it was you who refused my many attempts to have a meeting and work out our issues.”
Since its posting a few hours following the incident, the story on CrownHeights.info was modified with developing updates four different times throughout the evening and night. “In the past, the police department has been proficient in providing me with accurate, up-to-date information in sensitive stories such as this one,” Lifshitz later reflected. “Yet this time, the law enforcement was unwilling to provide me with verification on the story. Therefore, as I became aware of developments, I updated the story on my site. The story I original posted was according to eye-witness.”
After the raised vocal exchange between Lifshitz and Simonetti, the deputy inspector turned the podium over to Karl Cohen, the president of the precinct council. Cohen asking for calm and addressed Lifshitz with, “We understand your pain and feel your hurt.”
Harassment and Intimidation
As the audience dispersed, the general feeling of the 200 Jewish attendees of 71st precinct council meeting was one of neglect and disregard.
One such community member, Moshe Shatz, said, “Simonetti is arrogant and did not even try to listen to his community. I do not feel that he even remotely wanted to.”
Toward the end of the Q & A session, Aron Hershkop attempted to voice his opinion to Officer Lenny Wright about Simonetti’s methods of silencing members of the audience. Wright was captured on film threatening Hershkop and can be heard in the clip telling him, “You’re in a public place and I can lock you up right here. I can lock you right up.”
Hershkop later said in response, “These is their tactics,” referring to the officer’s threat to arrest him. “They did not permit us to speak up, and even when we tried, they cut us off and tried to get us off topic,” Referring to the words exchanged between Wright and himself, Hershkop said, “When you stand up to them they threaten to lock you up.”
Who Helpd the Nazi ?
same story diffrent date
the Jewish collaborators are same just a diffrent name
read this and remember the riots of crown heights that came after this.
Crown Heights Patrols Aim for Racial Peace
By JOSEPH A. CINCOTTI
Published: Saturday, August 29, 1987
Prophecies of racial confrontation in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn seemed to recede in the evening drizzle Thursday, as Rabbi Josef B. Spielman and the Rev. Heron Sam got into a tan Dodge sedan and drove through the tree-lined streets.
A firebombing in February, housing squabbles and decades of racial tension in the neighborhood were put aside for at least one night as the two clergymen tried to find common ground on a patrol whose primary purpose was to ”check for potholes, broken street lights and abandoned vehicles.” The rabbi and the minister were among 60 volunteers – about 30 blacks and 30 Hasidim – enlisted for the first black-Hasidic patrol in the community, an effort community leaders and the police from the 71st Precinct hope will enhance relations between the two groups.
”It’s the first time you will see a Hasidic and a black riding in the same car together,” said Joan A. Gill, a Democratic district leader in the 43d Assembly District. ”I’m proud to see it happen.”
Part 2
The new group will join about 100 volunteers who already cruise the neighborhood in private cars or the one official police car assigned to the detail, the sedan that the clergymen used. But before Thursday, the Hasidim had not participated in these police-sanctioned patrols, choosing to organize their own.
Members of the sanctioned Civilian Observation Patrol, started in 1982, patrol from 7 P.M. to 11 P.M. They have no authority to make arrests but they carry police radios to report crimes in progress.
Five cars patrolled the neighborhood Thursday. The Rev. Hardy Smallwood of the Holy Tabernacle Church of God in Christ and Rabbi Yossi Brook of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council rode together, in addition to the car in which Rabbi Spielman and Father Sam rode. Black volunteers rode together in two other cars, because three Hasidim arrived late for the shift.
”There were no rooftop chases with helicopter gunships,” Rabbi Spielman said. In fact, the night’s report amounted to a minor hit-and-run accident, an abandoned car and a broken street light.
Crown Heights, just east of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, is a neighborhood of broad, tree-lined streets, neat three-story houses and small-scale apartment buildings.
Last February, a house owned by blacks was firebombed and witnesses reported seeing men wearing long coats and fedoras fleeing the scene. The crime is still unsolved. That prompted discussions between Rabbi Spielman, the chairman of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council, and Father Sam, the rector of St. Marks Episcopal Church, one of the largest black congregations in Crown Heights, that led to a June 2 agreement to have Hasidim-black patrols.
”I have led demonstrations against the Hasidic,” said Father Sam, recalling turbulent times during the 1970’s. ”But you can’t be a perpetual demonstrator. At some point, you have to sit down and negotiate.” He said the joint patrols ”will at least alleviate some of the tension.”
Blacks have criticized the patrols by Hasidim – most of whom are members of the Lubavitcher sect of Orthodox Jews – saying the patrols frequently harassed blacks.
Although Hasidic leaders have defended the need for the patrols, Rabbi Spielman agreed to have them disbanded and said Thursday that this had been done. Father Sam had demanded this as a condition for joint patrols.
No Hasidic patrols were sighted by a visitor who rode through Crown Heights for four hours Thursday night.
But the Hasidic patrols are ”expanding, not disbanding,” according to Israel Shemtov, who said he founded a patrol in 1969. ”We look to protect Jews and blacks, anyone who walks the street in peace,” he said, adding that he was not against the joint patrols. Censure Is Expected
Nevertheless, Mr. Shemtov has incurred the displeasure of the Hasidic community, according to a Jewish authority on the Lubavitcher sect. ”Mr. Shemtov is likely to be censured within the Lubavitcher sect for defying the position of the Hasidic community,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
On Thursday, two Hasidic protesters carried signs, apparently addressed to members of the joint patrol, that read, ”We want armed, trained vigilantes in our alleys, not you.”
Blacks also have opposed joint patrols. On June 2, even as Rabbi Spielman and Father Sam were reaching their agreement, about 40 blacks demonstrated in front of the 71st Precinct station house and chanted ”Black power,” and speakers criticized ”Hasidic terrrorism.”
Of the 96,892 residents in the neighborhood, 78 percent are black and 9.3 percent white, according to the 1980 Census. The majority of the whites are Hasidim in the Lubavitcher community.
After racial violence in the 1970’s, many whites fled. But the Lubavitchers, who have their world headquarters on Eastern Parkway, remained.
”We are a minority living with a large number of blacks,” Rabbi Spielman said. ”Our families are large, sometimes eight or nine kids, and we need space as much as anybody.”
Father Sam said he understood the need to distribute equitably Crown Heights’s dwindling housing. ”I have nothing against the Hasidim having more turf,” he said. ”But we need a piece of the action.”
Rabbi Spielman is thankful for a relatively calm summer in Crown Heights. ”It takes two to make peace,” he said. ”But only one to make war.”
OUTRAGED!!!
I bet there were no media there. If so, Simonetti would have been polite.
I hope you are taking the video of Wright threatening Mr. Hershkop to Internal Affairs.
Finally…where is the Jewish Al Sharpton? Would the Blacks have allowed this mistreatment? Why don’t WE have someone who stands up to these thugs, even if we are sometimes wrong (which is rare.) Instead, we have bunch of fools posing as community leaders who do absolutely nothing. It’s like spitting on a forest fire…it has no effect whatsoever when a few caring people from the community protest with apologetic intent. We need to be proactive BEFORE trouble starts & reactive AFTERWARD.
Tell me: was the new “Vaad” there? Did they speak? Or are they hiding because they’re “embarrassed” by us? One thing is true: Fat Al never backs away from supporting his people & standing up to what he sees as injustice. You have to admire him for that.
Webby…it is good that this site is watched by the police. Let them know that we Jews WILL NOT TAKE ANY MORE! It is nearly 20 years since the Riots. Do we have to worry every year that this will be another summer from hell? When will it stop?
Please start an online petition that can be sent to Commissioner Kelly. Co ordinate a PR campaign with the media. There are people who can do it. DEMAND action from elected officials (I don’t mean the fools in CHJCC.) Get REAL community leaders from Williamsburg, Flatbush, BP, 5 Towns at a meeting to get their support & experience. We need to reach out to “experts” who successfully keep their communities safe. Pick their brains: see what works & implement those strategies here. How much more do we have to take? AD MOSAI?
Eli
Where was chanima
The Meeting tonight! Alinsky-s Rules wro
Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals
RULE 12: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions. (This is cruel, but very effective. Direct, personalized criticism and ridicule works.)
Tonights meeting was about knocking a web site (happened to be this web site). The only thing/issue bothering the inspector was a WEB SITE ????!!!!
It seems that the inspector has taken the path to destruction.
He has over stayed his welcome!
concerned
the animals they leave in the streets today are young and commit small crimes in the future years when they have have grown they kill and rape then the cops will turn to us for help. look at how many of these killers and violators of other crimes are locked up and keep getting released i just hope it happens to their families
Yitzchok
There are choices here: 1) Hire a lawyer and sue the city, in that lawsuit every officer in the 71 personally 2) Get the justice department involved. This has to do simply, The blacks are a greater voting block then the Jews.
How come there are no pictures of the newly elected community leaders at the event?
Bennie
Give the inspector a break.he came and addressed the issue…..we need to support our police and stop complaining when we donot get our way!! This community is thankless.
Chani
vaad hakhal,,, u have a job to do,,,
Hiney Lo Yonum, Velo Yishan
You know, its actually sadly comical. My husband and I discussed going to the meeting, and we came to a conclusion. We have no achdus in the community, therefore the cops dont respect us, what is the point of showing up at the meeting, so that Simonetti can tell people that 300 people came to his meeting? We know nothing will be done.
So we decided to make a date night, and went out instead, to eat. At least we came home relaxed and happy.
I am sorry for all those who wasted their time….. When the Rabbonim will grow up, we wont need these types of meetings, the 71 will know what they need to do.
Until then
I wish everyone a healthy and happy summer,,,
MAY HASHEM PROTECT US ALL
ITs OUR FULT AND WE KNOW IT, TAKE ACTION
the problem is definitely Simonetti you see the way talks and treats people he is not a man of honor.
i have seen him more than just once threatening ANASH is they will not go along with his plan… NO MORE NEEDS to be said i think you know what i am referring to.
this guy is nothing but a coward that wants to rule crownheights, when we ask for protection we get tickets, why would we ask again and again if he just dumps our opinions in the shredder.
me myself and i
why is it when peter attacked the credibility of this website did one “jew” clap, while when the reporter of this website got up and questioned the departments credibility everyone clapped.
why is it after a month of were 2 incidences were 15 year olds were let go after committing crimes did the same “jew” get up and thank the police department for doing such a great job.
Why at this meeting did a guy get up “representing” the jewish community and say how the department has done a great job.
WHy is it taka that after the new COP program opened is the Shomrim vehicles getting targeted with tickets….
AND WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU GAIN BY DOING WHAT YOU DO?
HOW CAN YOU CALL YOURSELF A LEADER WHO SELFLISLY IS OUT TO PROTECT ALL PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE WHEN YOU STAND BY AND ECORAGE THE ARRESTS AND CONVICTION OF YIDDEN.
what happened?
In that last picture (simmonetti and livshitz)Napoleon appears constopated and about to blow a gasket.
From the looks of this he is threatening OUR NEIGHBORHOOD REPORTER.
What a shame!
What a shame! If at the end of the day the inspector is the one who we are trying to get ‘on our side’ why couldn’t we afford him a little more respect and speak like mentchen! A waste of a golden opportunity to clear the tables!!!
Chillul Hashem
What a blatant Chillul Hashem on behalf of Mr. Wolf. His claims clearly contradicted his testimony at the scene of the crime and his ranting and raving were nothing more than theatrics relishing the moment of being heard. He took offense to Simonetti interrupting him yet had no problem doing likewise when Simonetti countered with his detectives side of the story. If we want justice and demand the police to listen and protect us, we must must be truthful and consistent.
Nachman
I think he meant to say in the beginning of speech when he says “nearly ending up in an ACCIDENT”, to say “nearly ending up in an AMBULANCE”.
yossip
Its time to get the federal govermant involved, i belive thay dont stand for things like this,the vidioes should be given over to them
Iran here
Iranian tactics
Really enraged :((
wow we better leave crown heights sooner than later. Its an ongoing battle we keep losing. Either we put our feet down like they do in boro park and williamsburgh and show that we’re not lambs going to be slaughtered or we get out and let this neighborhood become another bed stuy or east new york!!!
Chaim
This is ludicrous.
It is absolute corruption.
I thought I had a good solution but this meeting proved otherwise.
So the backup solution which I will admit is not as diplomatic is a combination of two powers.
1.Money
2.Brute force
This combination is also known as a mafia. It is kind of like shomrim or shmira with the councils money working together.
Oh wait did I just say working together? Scrap that, That can’t work in Crown Heights etheir.
So there is no solution. You are on your own.
BUT WE CANNOT GIVE IN TO THE TERRORISTS!!!
I see all the time let’s move let’s move. That is Giving in.
What we need is CHANGE. Does that sound familiar.
Boruch N. Niissim HaKohaine Hoffinger
BS”D
Sorry, forgot.
Mr. Simonetti did not continually interrupt. How did you know he was: ‘trying to throw him off?’
Editorializing.
Mr. Lifschitz (Spelling?) speak truthfully, unless you’re trying to protect Yidden and make peace.
Reuvain Lipkind told me that a Yid hit the Black. Reuvain Lipkind is a very honest and sincere person, committed to hekping anyone, anywhere anytime.
I enjoy your web site, it’s beautiful and informative. You might, however, be giving me an upset stomach.
I Agree with Simonetti
I like the comment from “Hiney Lo Yonum, Velo Yishan.” I Don’t think Simonetti is wrong. I think he sees Crown Heights for what it truly is. He sees the fighting and lack of peace not just between the jews and blacks (which is BS by the way because there are so many jews and blacks that truly get along well) but he sees the lack of peace between the jews and the jews!
Why should he, or any authoritive figure show respect to such an immature bunch?
Anyway, word to the wise. Living on the west coast now and loving it. Crown Heights will never see a good day as long as the fighting continues. Shomrim Vs. Shmira. Vadd Hakol. Hatzalah. Tznius. the list goes on.
SICKENING
I AM PROUD OF THAT GUY RABBI WOLF FOR NOT ALLOWING HIMSELF TO BE INTERRUPTED MAKING IT OBVIOUS THAT SIMMONETTI WAS ASKING IRRELEVANT QUESTIONS!
THIS IS SO BLATANTLY WRONG ITS GOOD THAT WE HAVE VIDEOS TO PROVE IT!!!
Iran
Iranian tactics means that instead of dealing with people the pd disrupts their statements and threatens arrest – similar to what iran is doing
MP
ATT: “This community is thankless”
Why should we support NYPD who are not only ignoring issues of our safety, but indirectly promoting our attackers?
Get your facts straight yingelleh.
Ezra Seldowitz
To my dear Mr. Hoffinger, I am an avid reader of this site and I do enjoy the hilarity of the comments and their content, though I never write them myself. Your comments almost always provoke a chuckle, your radical thinking and senseless bantering makes for great entertainment.
But your latest comment here angered me, the one where you write the Reuven Lipkind is a very honest and sincere person… and the fact that he said that the Yid hit the black first… are you that naive? Was the esteemed Mr. Lipkind at the scene of the altercation? Or was he repeating the same, agenda fused, conclusion the police department came to?
If it’s the latter, which we both know it is since Mr. Lipkind was not there, that means that you took the side a man who sided with a Goy in order to harm a Jew. WHAT DOES THAT MAKE YOU MR. HOFFINGER? Why don’t you just run and point your finger at a Jew for the cops to lock him up?
“Siyag LaChachmah Shetikah” –please just keep your hate to yourself.
U-vechain???
so now what are we going to do? just rant and rave on this comment page, or take it to the next level, and take the recordings to the borogh president, or whoever Simonetti’s boss is (and maybe even the supervisor of Simonetti’s boss!!etc.) until someone will take action and discipline those that need to be disciplined for their wrongful behavior
to Boruch N. Niissim HaKohaine Hoffinger
bad move taking side of a “honest” polotition
and to wolf defence
simoneti has disrupted his that you didnt even realize somthing important that he said
in other words… that after getting put into the mess that HE WAS PUT INTO BY THE BLACK PERP he didnt remember what took place a common thing that happans.
also did you notice what simonti questioned his authentisity whith
the fact that he forgot to say that a yid hit the goy.
oy vavoy
who side r u people on….
Zol er chapen a missah mishunah...
…that’s in reference to S***monetti.
As far as this 14 year old teenager is concerned, he will one day grow up to be another ‘Dexter Bostic’ and there will be another ‘Detective Russel Timoshenko’ situation in the 71st. It’s that simple.
Hiney Lo Yonum, Velo Yishan wrote:
I am glad u r enjoying the west coast. I was there for two and a half MISERABLE years, and BH I am back in NY. I will take crown heights over the west coast any day. I just hope that people realize the brochos that we have from our Rebbe, and the Rabbonim both should go to TIME OUT. They are acting like three year olds, and should be treated as such. As soon as the Rabbonim grow up, we wont have those problems here.
As I said before, Vaad hakahal,, u got a job to do,, Rabbonim, go to time out,, very easy solution.
NYPD IS IN NEED OF A NEW LEADER
1) DI Peter Scamaniti is rite now under investigation for taking bribes in the 72 PCT and now for being biased against the jewish people.He should step down from his position as NYPD DI he brings shame 2 the community he repprsentm.We need vega back as our commanding officer.
2) The COP is not suppose to patrol in the 77 pct the cars are to patrol only in the 71 pct and Lelb is trying to scam the city by also doing his auxiliary hour when he does the COP patrol.
3) The community must start calling IAB 212-4-pride and bring more attention 2 the 71st PCT and let this scumbag lose his pention and let him rot
DrumIntellect
Boruch N. Niissim HaKohaine Hoffinger,
I was at the meeting. Mr. Simonetti did certainly interrupt the gentleman who was trying to speak. He not only interrupted him, but interrupted almost every person who tried to speak.
Further, during his statement he said he would take all questions and would be available afterward for whoever had questions that needed to be addressed in private. But then not only left the podium in middle of a question and refused to answer further questions, but left the meeting before all the other politicians were finished speaking. This left people like me who were waiting for the close of the meeting to speak with the police, no recourse.
I entered the meeting with an open mind and hopeful. I left the meeting very dissatisfied and fearful.
west coast sympathy
Rabbi wolf made a tremendous chillul hashem acting like a fool. If you want the precinct to respect the community get someone who can acts like mentch, he acts arrogantly foolishly and ultimately makes us look bad. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of incidents where an african-american did something he should be punished for, but this is not the way to change things. Crown heights is in for a long summer
Hatzolah
On the back of the ambulance in front of 770 it says V’ahavta Lreiacha Kmocha….
sympathy with thugs
west coast sympathy wrote:
“Rabbi wolf made a tremendous chillul hashem acting like a fool. If you want the precinct to respect the community get someone who can acts like mentch,”
somebody like Chanina?????
Morris Belangie
I live in Flatbush so I may not have the story clear enough.
Anyway, for my two cents:Wolf was screaming and raving, while Simonetti seemed to acting in a calm and rational way.
What I don’t really get is why any yid would want to live in Crown Heights?Here in Flatbush, there are all the basic neccesities of a frum yid.Many shuls way to numerous to mention,every type of Jewish shopping from the new Pomegranate huge supermarket to all kinds of kosher dining and many schools.
I live in the Chaim Berlin vicinity and in the whole area with thousands of yids there are very few “lo mishalanu” and basically no “shechorim” almost every house in the blocks around me is shomer shabat.I attend services in Sephardi synagogues and have a choice of more than ten (!) within a ten minute radius.Latly nothing beats taking a stroll on Ocean Parkway after shabbat chamin.
Shabat shalom
Moshe
I think Wolf was great not letting the NYPD railroad every word that came out of his mouth!!
The crapshoot didnt give a single person the dignity to say his piece.
BUT expects everyone to listen to him and respect him???
Let him do i tryout for the Sopranos I think he’ll get the part and alast we’ll be done with him.
Thank you Rabbi Wolf
Thank you Rabbi Wolf. You bravery and standing up for our rights after being victomized is very noteworthy. I think police will consider who is the victom a little more carfully next time.
But any time police have a fight with both sides pressing charges, they can arrest both. In Brooklyn they do whats good for them.
antimesira
this whole COP/one patrol thing was just a deco, the plan it seems was to bring Crown Heights to a pre-90s situation, where there was NO Jewish patrol.
Shomrim didn’t take the bait. Shmira did.
This is not about shomrim or shmira, this is the precinct against the Jewish community!!!!!
I like that
Great job Wolf!!! you have to stand up for what you feel is right, which you did, and it is.
donut hog
simonetti is a fatso
that needs to put down the donut
and start taking care of the community!
I was there
I was at the meeting, sitting right next to Boruch Sholom Wolf. It is important to note the context of his speech before just viewing the 5 minute clip. In the beggining of the meeting Simonetti spoke at length about the incident. He gave his version of the events, which was lie after lie (according to him) about the incident including Wolf, but even though he was burning about all the lies which he misconstrued about his testimony, Wolf remained silent throughout. Then Simonetti turned over the floor to the audience, and the second he got up to speak, Simonetti began interruptng him and bullying him. Thank G-d Wolf stood up for himself and didn’t let Simonetti trample over him. (Now watch the clip!)
CH RESIDENT WHO WON-T STAND FOR IT ANYMO
I think we should all stop pointing fingers, we should do what we need to and intimidate these low lifes, Screw the police, if you get accosted or attacked, FIGHT BACK! don’t call the police, kick them to the ground and show them that WE (NOT THE COPS) won’t stand for it, if you raise your hand we WILL cut it off, if you open your mouth we WILL punch out your teeth, fight fire with fire and violence with violence!
VIOLENCE ISN’T THE ANSWER IT’S THE SOLUTION1
chagelberg
GO MR HERSHKOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tickets
Propare Yourselves for all the tickets comming our way!!!
Right Here!
“I’l lock you up right here”
The animal jail upstairs will be empty during the summer they need to fill it up!!!
By the way whats the badhe number of that officer?
concerned community member
It’s a very difficult situation. There are several issues that need to be attended to. First, in light of the exact situation that brought about this community meeting, we need to make sure we are consistent with what we say and do all the time. Why is the police report stating that the 14 year old black boy only used scare tactics and did not perpetrate any violence initially? I heard that someone was hit by a rock. That seems far off the actual circumstances. In either case, who threw the first punch? Frankly there are no independent witnesses. Let’s be real here. Are Jews racist towards the blacks? Are the blacks racist towards the Jews? Is any individual not biased of opinion? It is not right that the boy scared Rabbi Wolf. With all the other violence going on, Rabbi Wolf should have expected more than just a scare. My wife and I have both been hazed by blacks on several occasions ourselves. I don’t think making a scene does much good if there is no real community achdus or leadership. What is the real issue here. Are we so stuck on ourselves that we can’t make any real goals together as fellow Jews, or with the Goyim here? I think this black and white joint community watch is a good thing, if at least for the show. The amount of tension we give out reciprocates two fold. If we want to make a difference, we need to collaborate with black community leaders and make some bridges between our groups. The more bridges that are made, the more general sentiment will follow. I would say the same about our Jewish community. The more we bridge our differences with each other, the more we can begin to find a source for creating achdus and not just blaming or asking for it. If we truly believe that our Chassidus has world redemptive properties, let’s use the lessons to work out our community issues. Once we are able to come together, then we can be active in the dynamic we create as we work with other groups. There’s a whole ball of wax here. Do we as individuals within a community want to bring answers to our issues, or do we want only to be seen and recognized as figureheads? The yesh is in the way. I think someone else posted above about non-racial community watch. Can we see past differences of opinion, race, religion, or ideals to find the truth Hashem wants of us in this olam?
Humans
Imagine these 200 people would riot the streets like the animals do!?
Mendy
Rabbi Wolf was amaziiiiiiiinggg!!!!!!!!
HE WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT STOOD UP. JUST WHAT WE NEEDED, SHOWING THEM THAT WE ARE STRONG!!!!!!
Get rid of them
There needs to be a board that will contact the City and take care of these problems, to get rid of the trouble making police and have them replaced with ones that want to work WITH the community.
New PD
Some police officialy “SERVING our community” will take every single opportunity to make problems to the Jews. Unless they fear their Jobs. Why are they here??????
revenge???
Is it true that because members of the community used their free right of speech (to voice their outrage) by the meeting that the inspector is going to up the charges against the Yid??
If this revenge from the inspector is true, then hes just digging his grave deeper and deeper, its all coing to crash down on him.
ceo
its such a shame. The decent, hard working blacks get along with us just fine, but there are troubled black teens out there that are out of control, and the police can’t handle it, already for a long time. Very sad, and in need of some UNCORRUPT handling. This is unfair, as has been happening for a long time already.
Yaakov5770
Great job Rabbi Wolf for standing up for what is right. And showing the world that we are proud Yidden and not going to live in fear!