By COLlive reporter
The New York Police Department cautioned residents of Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood that terror in the name of the Islam religion was still a threat.
Police plan to heighten their patrols during the Hebrew month of Tishrei (September and October 2010) when thousands fill Lubavitch Headquarters 770 Eastern Parkway and its vicinity.
“770 is a number one target and we are focused on making sure nothing happens,” Inspector Peter Simonetti, Commanding Officer for the 71st Precinct, told a Wednesday meeting with key officials.
“With the High Holidays coming up, our first priority is making sure the community is safe,” he pointed out.
“People in the community should know that if they see anything out of the ordinary – they should not decide for themselves, but should call us right away because you never know…” Simonetti later told COLlive.com.
He said police were still taking Yousef Al-Khattab seriously. The Jewish-born, Jersey-raised convert to Islam has shown the 770 building as the source for Israel’s actions in Gaza.
In attendance were Rabbi Binyomin Klein, the Rebbe’s secretary; Zaki Tamir and Batya Breindel of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council; businessman and donor Yossi Popack; community activist Chanina Sperlin; Rabbi Sholom Ber Baumgarten of the Jewish Children’s Museum; Rabbi Avrohom Leider of Ahavas Chesed, Mica Soffer, Publisher of COLlive.com; and Yaakov Behrman of lubavitch.com.
Also present were Vinnie Martinos, the 71st Precinct Community Affairs Officer, and members of Shmira – C.O.P. (Civilian Observation Patrol) Yanki Preger, Leib Skoblo and Dovid Leib Wolosow.
Participants thanked the police for their work and called for more cooperation with the Jewish Community Council and responsible Crown Heights institutions.
Simonetti said relations between the local ethnic groups – African-American, Lubavitch Chassidic Jews and Carribbean-Americans – are stable now, but warned that propaganda on either side “could lead to civil unrest.”
He added that the police are “doing well” on fighting crime but needed to make advances on burglaries. He also mentioned that grants are being given to Yeshivos and schools for security.
What ever happened to emunah?
Yes of course we have to make sure tachlis everything is secure but lets have emunah (and bitachon)!
Having guns may help solve a possible problem ready to occur but why even prepare for something?
So what, abunch of goyim claim their target!
But we have a big nation (together at this point) and a G-d and a Rebbe and let alone this is the Rebbe’s shul! take a step back! having policemen roaming the streets is enough! kesiva vechasima tovah.. leshana tovah umesukah!
It’s all in the “Title” 😉
He just does!!
the Israel Embassy in and the AMIA in Argentina country they where enough for the jewish communities in that country to put a cement wall and security on each institution, schools, mosdos, etc. They didn’t build the walls till second tragedy happened. i don’t know why we still didn’t do this.
Simple requests to various “community leaders” and to “the police” will not get 770 the concrete barriers.
770’s administration must write a grant proposal to the US Department of Homeland Security.
Some other CH mosdos have done this and successfully secured such concrete barriers.
So, please urge the “powers that be” at 770’s administration to get to work on this! Immediately!
Just curious, before elections here the council said there were camp funds; what happened after the election when old members who are now ‘activists’ because the ‘raise funds’ didn’t win?? Many parents send their kids to camp because they feel they must and have mesiras nefesh to do so. It appears there were fundraisers galore. May we ask, where was the money for basic needs of the community such as summer camp that was promised in pre election literature?
leaning on the chair in the first pic?
I HAVE REQUESTED WE PUT CONCRETE DIVIDERS IN FRONT OF THE STAIRS GOING DOWN TO 770 FROM MANY “LEADERS” OF THE COMMUNITY. I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE POLICE ABOUT IT AND THEY AGREE AND ALSO RECOMMENDED OTHER MEASURES. YET TO DATE NO ACTION. WE HEARD WONDERFUL SPEECHES AFTER THE ATTACK THAT KILLED ARI HALBERSTAM AND AFTER THE MASSACRE IN MUMBAI. I WOULD PREFER NOT TO HEAR ANY MORE SPEECHES OR HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE FUNDS TO REBUILD OR COMPENSATE ANY VICTIMS IN THE FUTURE. THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW!!!! A LITTLE INEXPENSIVE ACTION NOW TO REPLCATE WHAT ALL FEDERAL BUILDINGS… Read more »
If heaven forbid you get arrested (like many in Crown Heights – for forgetting a summons or other reason) you will soon find out what community activist means. Even for you, Chanina will come down to the police station at 3am or five minutes before shabbos to make sure you can daven, eat kosher food, and that all your other religious needs are taken care of.
are we allowed to mekarev yosef cohen? (yousef)
as being a .1% of worlds population we should always never remove our rights to carry safety arms its our right especially as americans
i agree with #2 about community activist like putin some people never go away
bearded tamir kudos for letting it grow
a community activist is someone who gives time and/or money for the benefit of the community. Chanina dedicates manyu hours a day to benefit the community and also raises funds which he distributes for the benefit of the community residents. And yes, you too can be a community acitivist. All you have to do is contribute time and/or money for the benefit of the community instead of attacking those who do so.
Yes…..#3 has a good point. Carrying a gun in today’s times isn’t such a bad idea. The problem is….how do you avoid a (G-d forbid) tragedy if some hot headed Lubavitchers lose their cool and use it for the wrong reasons???
How about CH residents get permits to carry guns?
We have a darn good reason, our holy 770 has been threatened again and again.
We had an attack on our branch in India, so what are we waiting for? If they dare come, they will meet 500 lubavitchers with hand guns…
That would for sure keep them away.
The idea of “see something call us and let us decide” is stupid. Should we call the police so they can come and write up a report on how G-d forbid…
What is a community activist mean? How does Chanina get to be a community activist? Can I be one too? Where do I apply?
where is hackner and brownstein