71st Precinct Build the Block Meeting, Will the Jewish Crown Heights be Represented?

Yosef (Yossy) Hershkop, a resident of Crown Heights wrote this open letter to the community urging them to make their presence felt at a local 71st precinct build the block meeting. A special guest will be at the gathering, and should hear from the community.

Dear Fellow community members,

Tomorrow evening is the bi-monthly 71 precinct build the block meeting (Sector D) which covers a nice part of the Crown Heights area. The officers who run the event really want to increase Jewish community attendance, they do their best to text people and put their flyers at our local businesses but unfortunately our turnout is usually very poor.

I am writing this because I believe in the importance of making our presence felt at these meetings if you don’t show up you don’t get to complain. Even if 25 Yidden show up, it’ll be a strong statement. At this meeting you have the opportunity to become known and engage high ranking officers and detectives in a very laid back setting. They actually give out their cell numbers to whomever wants. Their goal is to get to know the community.

Also at tomorrow’s event the regional administrator of HUD Lynne Patton will be in attendance. She has a direct line to President Trump and its important that she hear from us

a) How we are fed up with the crime and untreated mental health /homeless crisis that our neighborhood is experiencing.

b) That we (Jews) also pay high rent and many times are treated poorly by both the city and landlords (who get many tax benefits (a whole other discussion), even those of us who are homeowners /landlords probably don’t know about a lot of HUD programs that are available for them . We need her to hear and see that the housing crisis of Brooklyn affects us very much. If she doesn’t see us why should she think we are struggling.

Meeting is taking place tomorrow March 13th at 594 Albany Avenue from 5:30 pm till 8:30 pm

Hope to see you all.

Yosef (Yossy) Hershkop

Yosef Hershkop is a resident of Crown Heights Brooklyn. He is a healthcare executive and he’s been an organizer of many pro Israel rallies and is involved in several Jewish organizations. He can be reached at yosef.hershkop@gmail.com or follow him on twitter at @yossy770.

7 Comments

    • Simple equations for those who don't understand

      Everyone votes = politicians want our vote = they tell police/DA to take it seriously = safe streets

      No one votes = politicians aren’t afraid we’ll vote them out = ignore our problems = police/DA don’t care about us = unsafe streets

  • 5:30?

    Really? If you work in Manhatten you’re probably not home yet!
    I for sure am not.

    • And so?

      If you get there at 6:30, is that so terrible? After all, it’s Lubavitch time.

      Having said that, 5:30 IS ridiculously early. When I lived in CH they started at 7:30-9:00pm. I went to A LOT of these precinct meetings. And I opened my mouth, even in a very hostile environment.

      If you want to see change, YOU HAVE TO CHANGE FIRST! Start by speaking up. Stop being so apathetic & expecting others to do it. They are just as bad as you.Grow a backbone. And stop listening to your “elected leaders” (ha!!) who don’t do squat for any of you. You have brains – use them! Think for yourselves.

      Good luck in the jungle that is CH.

  • Anonymous

    Maybe the reason we Jews dont show up is because we are working day and night to afford a living.
    A 3 hour meeting? Which parent has 3 hours at their disposal?
    The people who want their positions as community representatives should show up and be our spokesmen.

  • Yosef H

    I only found out about the HUD executive’s attendance yesterday, the second I found out I started to post about it. Yes three hours is a long time but people can come for 1 of the 3 hours and that would also be a strong message.