Orange County, NY – A series of blue (men) and red (women) gender specific signs posted in Yidish along the sidewalks located on Forest St. in Kiryas Joel are drawing the ire of area residents who claim that segregated sidewalks are unconstitutional.
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WESTCHESTER.NEWS12.com (http://bit.ly/1yZNEcz) reports that amid the controversy, members of KJ”s Satmar community quickly took to social media, exlaining that the signs are merely “suggestions” to help pedestrians during the busiest times of the day when sidewalks are crowded.
KJ resident Benny Polatseck tweeted, “This is not an attempt to take away women’s rights. This applies to men just as it does women.”
A rep for the company who made the signs said it was a private customer, and not the village, who placed the order for the signs.
“That’s just degrading,” said a local man, while an area woman said, “I certainly wouldn’t do it.”
An Orange County spokesperson called the signs “outrageous,” while a rep from the New York Civil Liberties Union said they are monitoring the situation.
Let then give an instruction to all the families privately, if this is their chumrah. To make it public is bad public relations.
BS on area residents. I bet the complainers are those who have never been in, not have any reason to ever be in KJ. See the commenters on the blogs who say they would like to go there and parade around indecently. The only reason to go there is to bother the residents of KJ.
The ACLU should monitor those people who are trying only to offend the residents. Like the מנוול from Riverdale.
Bunch of despicable, bigoted hypocrites.
What do they use for brains in KJ, or perhaps that question assumes they have any. Never would Rav Yolish Z’TL, ever had considered such stupidity even though he was machmir on matter of tzinus but somehow this chilul hashm goes on his name. Whichever idiot ordered these signs should be exiled to Lakewood.
I never knew that non jews could read Yiddish in the Hebrew alphabet, obviously it’s not for them so what’s their business?
What is the problem here? The local non Jewish residents do not understand the signs and have no need to take any notice of them. If the local Jewish residents want to ignore the signs, they can also do. It might just be that their house will be fire bombed in that case but that is the beauty of democracy – everyone can do whatever pleases them.
Childish, stupid and UN-JEWISH!!!
A new meshugas that is driving Hareidi people crazy, too
Nothing is illegal with that signs, its there own property own village nothing against the law they paying normal tax’s (maby a veiber suel is also illegal?)
Its a fly in a cup water, just ignore these antisamite people
Isnstead focusing on what’s really important, like teaching a curriculum that explains emunah beyond any doubt, a few extremists control the agenda, and busy themselves with nonsense like this. Unfortunately these extremists have the ear of the leadership, which allows them free reign. Ask me how I know, I’m from there. Ask the average 16 year old boy a fundamental emunah question, you will very likely get the “you’re an apikores” answer, or the deer in headlights look. It’s a sad state of affairs what has become of our holy rebbe’s beautiful city. It’s all external, but inside rotten to the core.
Segregation is in full swing without the signs.
Women have no rights. They dont make chinuch decisions, they are not allowed to drive, and much more.
But I believe the women of KJ want it like that. They grow up knowing and beleiving that only the man (Rabbi of course) can make decisions.
Nothing new. New Square has this for years.
Let them take down the signs and stay out of trouble. Segregation is discrimination , whether of the genders or the races… or whatever.
B”H new square is expanding
What’s the problem , the signs doesn’t say U have to, its says for whoever wants to listen which side is for men and which side for women, that is NOT segregation at all
In other news, thousands have protested in front of Walmart headquarters after discovering they had gender segregated toilets. A full investigation is underway as thousands demand unisex toilets be implemented immediately.
Just like restrooms in rest area
MEN
WOMEN
In Texas we are not allowed to put private signs on public property.
How is this outrageous?
News 12 is the most boring news channel they have no news to report so they have to talk about something so who care what they have to say.
Al tehi tzaddik harbei. These people are trying to be frummer than Hashem.
no wonder they are disliked…they go from carzy to crazier…they of course make a chilul hashem as well…their counterparts in eretz yisroel throw stones and curse anyone who isnt them….hey hate EY as well i cant figure that out as there are 6 million jews there. they want ey to crumble? if these guys grandparents had a ey to go to they wouldnt have perished….their ideas are backwards at best.
We at KJ are very satisfied with these signs. It’s a respectfully reminder to the residents to give the people a way how to walk on Shaboss when we are all on the street andjust over crowds the streets. So we can walk nicely without bumping inn one another.
I’m surprised. I thought they would have Zalis on one side, Aharonis on the other.
All taxpayers must be allowed to walk on any road built by the gov’t. These men/women rules can only apply to private property.
People within KJ are raising this public stink? NO WAY!
I want their addresses as proof.
This is the dark mood of the unleashed voice of maximum poverty for maximum affairs. Please tell me that chassids of tomorrow are not all scatter mooded fish tanks of excess experimentation. This is just uncavalier favor for unplussed diagrams of logic against sun up necessity. Women are not unkept dry mats for the orthodox to break apart at the seams. How utterly ignorant and impolite.
This is an idea with many great applications. We respectfully suggest that black people walk on this side and whites on the other. Or, Jews on this side, Christians on the other. That wouldn’t be segregation, since both sides are equally affected. Sheriff Bull Connor let it be known that while It might make some people uncomfortable, we don’t want that kind of outsider troublemaker rabble rousers in our town.
I don’t know what’s bothering news 12? Anybody asked them to do it? It’s a matter of preference, if you want you obey if you don’t want you don’t obey. Nobody firebombs your home….. I am a “proud” KJ resident for over 20 years and have no problem with it. And all you negative commentators, you are the ones that are making a big chilul hashem, because you are jews and talking against jews. So, please watch what you say because every word you write or say is another match to the fire.
Have you noticed how some people just like to tell others what to do? I have often wondered what makes some people want to put up signs. A desire for control, I suppose.
BREAKING NEWS:
Local police and deputy sheriffs are onsite outside 51 Forest Road, due to a report that area residents have found mentos on the woman’s side and lady fingers on the men side.
The area has been cordoned off due to intense investigation. A call to the Grand Rabbi Aron Teitelbaum has been unanswered. We hope to have an update in the next couple hours.
Meanwhile please make sure to adhere to signs so as not to cause unnecessary confusion.
After all the learning and davening going on in KJ, the culmination of all of this is to separate men & women on the public street? What a small order for yiddishkeit…
News 12 are a bunch of idiots why can’t they respect the KJ PEOPLE and to all you Jews out there who are bothered with this and to the comenter who grew up in KJ let me ask you if in Amish Town they will put up such a sign would it bother you ? Never Never,so why can’t you respect this people, they didn’t force you, walk your way up and down the women’s side 24/7 you won’t get a look from anyone .maybe you left something behind in KJ ?
Seriously? What business is it of anyone’s except the residents who choose to live there and follow those rules. Who cares what anyone else thinks? No one is being forced to live there. Anyone can choose to leave at any time if they don’t like the way the town is being run, or the rules that are accepted in that community. Anyone who chooses to wear different clothes or adapt other customs can also choose to live in a community that is more accommodating to their tastes and styles. The people who live in “this” community are happy with the way things are and it is no one’s business to bother them or try and change things. People living in Manhattan are happy doing what they do, walk around half naked, drunk, half drugged, or half insane and no one is stopping them even though many of us are opposed, insulted or disgusted by their rules or lack thereof, mode of dress or lack thereof or sense of decorum or lack thereof.
Everyone should have the liberty to “choose” the type of community that they wish to live in, and since the majority of people in that community approve and are happy what butt in and stir the pot with your own opinions.
I’m waiting for these people to start segregated housing. Ones for males only, and ones for the opposite gender. It’s coming!
So I think in the alter heim sakmer they also had segregated sidewalks?
Can someone tell me if ALTERG is for real? Every time I see one of his comments I plotz laughing. If it’s for real then maybe I should feel guilty for laughing at him. If it’s a troll then all I can say is Kol HaKavod – you’re a genius!
While visiting Boro Park last week I had been at the Amud for shachris at a public shul and was told I must wear a gartul and daven sfard which they said was the minhag of the Shul. I was out just raged. Well, after being so inspired from reading this article I retained a lawyer to sue everyone including the Estate of the Besht (If there is an estate to be found) and called the ACLU to investigate the deprivation of my civil rights. However, my lawyer said my case probably wont hold up because I am chassidish and always daven Sfard. Now I feel violated.
“Gender Segregated Sidewalk Signs In Kiryas Joel Drawing Ire Of Area Residents”
According to these people the ‘supposed’ הלכה is segregated sidewalks. But then, how could the תורה have written:
וכי ינצו אנשים ונגפו אשה הרה ויצאו ילדיה ולא יהיה אסון ענוש יענש כאשר ישית עליו בעל האשה ונתן בפללים.
Did somebody ‘illegally’ cross the street? Did one of the fist fighter’s arms miraculously stretch out across the street as did the arm of the אמה of בת פרעה?
Apparently, the תורה is insufficiently ‘Frum’ for these people. But, that is only true concerning עבירות שבין אדם למקום, and not בין אדם לחבירו. But then, nobody does hypocrisy like we do!
I don’t want my hard earned tax dollars to pay for segregated streets in KJ. It’s bad enough the residents work and claim they don’t, so I have to pay for all their section 8, Medicaid, gas and utilities. NYers are getting fed up with all this fraud and one day the governor will wake up.
I don’t get it as far as I know separate but equal is legal. Its only when woman are treated second class where it becomes illegal. So give the woman the nicer and better side and case closed.