The holiday of Halloween is tonight, Friday, and Crown Heights Shmira has provided safety tips:
Friday, October 31, 2014: Halloween is tonight and although it is a generally peaceful celebration, there are occasional incidents of which the public should be aware. The Crown Heights Shmira Patrol would like to inform you of several safety tips to help protect yourselves and your property against criminal acts of mischief.
• While walking around, remain alert to your surroundings. Pay attention to who is walking near you
• Walk in groups
• Walk in well lit areas
• Children should be escorted and not walk alone
• Keep house doors locked
• Do not open the door to strangers. Ask “who is there?” before opening the door. If it’s children asking for treats simply respond with, “I am sorry we don’t have any treats/candy.”
• Keep valuable property indoors and out of sight.
Shmira will have numerous volunteer members on patrol walking throughout the neighborhood Friday night.
Call Shmira at 718-221-0303 immediately if any emergency or life threat arises, even on shabbos!
Any non life-threatening acts of criminal mischief should be reported to Shmira and 911 on motzei shabbos.
Note by Rabbi Levi Rapoport:
Neighborly friendliness is nice. But it is forbidden to give a non-Jew any gift, including food, on Shabbos in your home if he will carry it outside because it appears that you have sold it to him on Shabbos. He must eat it in your house, or you can leave a bowl of candy outside for them to take from.
Thanks for the safety tips but the one about the kids…come on.
I grew up with kids coming by and we gave them candy. Nice way to be friendly to your neighbors, show that you are not these alians from space and no harm done. And if you have a viewfinder in your door you can see that’s it’s just some innocent kids having a little fun.
If it Dovid Malks’a Chulent, then it will be a Brachah
what do i do if i cant find a group how do i go home?
can i ask you to walk me home?
We usually put a note on our door saying something like: “We do not celebrate this day” and they leave us alone.
its Asur to give candy on halloween, especially on shabbos
thanks
… any attempts to egg this house will be met with a Cholent and Kishke response…
You dont want that, trust me.. Good Shabbos all
I have the strangest feeling that there will be no police on streets like Albany, Troy. If there is any, it will all be in the brightest spots on Kingston where nothing is likely to happen, but everyone will see they are ‘there’.
Thank you for the good work and effort `in making the community safe.
Thank you shmira for giving these amazing tips. I was very worried,and now you made me feel safe . hashem should bentch you all
I used to carry an umbrella as protection against egg-throwing.
Leave a basket with candy outside.
For those that wish they call Shomrim too – whichever one it is BOTH will help. IYH there will be only quiet!
Me too. I have a brand new coat, can’t wait to see what happens to it – not.
Thanks for the reminder and safety tips.
I remember one of the years it fell out on a friday night and i was dodging eggs being thrown off a roof on troy near empire.
Thanks!
Let’s hope for a quiet shabbos