New York – In the wake of reports that an observant Jewish man, Sholom Emert, was issued a summons this past Friday night for jaywalking and asked for identification on his way home from the synagogue, Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) denounced the NYPD for failing to sensitize its officers regarding the traditions and practices of the Orthodox Jewish community.
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Although Mr. Emert allegedly told the officers that he did not have ID on him, nor could he write down his contact information because of the prohibition of writing on the Sabbath, the officers involved threatened to arrest Mr. Emert if he did not comply. Fearing arrest and possible jail time, Mr. Emert violated his religious beliefs, and wrote down his name and address for the officers.
“It is outrageous that these NYPD officers selected a clearly identifiable Orthodox Jew for a summons on the Sabbath, and forced him to choose between his religious convictions and a jail cell,” said Hikind. “It is clear that these officers had an agenda when they ticketed Mr. Emert on Friday night.”
Hikind is calling on Commissioner Kelly to send a message to these and other like-minded officers that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated, adding, “A thorough investigation into this incident must be launched immediately.”
Below is a Press release from Councilman David Greenfield.
Councilman David G. Greenfield is calling for the immediate suspension of two New York City Police Officers who threatened to arrest an Orthodox Jew for jaywalking Friday night in the Midwood neighborhood of Brooklyn.
The resident of Midwood was walking home from synagogue on Friday night, wearing the traditional black hat and jacket worn by observant Jews, when he admittedly jaywalked across the street. While jaywalking, he was stopped by two police officers from the 61st Precinct who demanded his identification in order to issue him a summons.
The man was happy to give his name and address to the police officers, but he had no identification at the time. The man was not carrying his driver’s license because observant Jews do not drive, and are also prohibited by Jewish law from carrying items, on the Sabbath. The young man asked the officers if they would walk him to his home down the block where he would then provide the officers with his driver’s license. The officers refused and threatened to arrest him for jaywalking. The young man pleaded with the officers, but to no avail. Under threat of arrest, they forced the young man to violate Jewish law by writing his name and address down and then issued him a summons.
“Our constitution guarantees us the right to practice our religion without fear of persecution,” Councilman Greenfield proclaimed. “Are there no major crimes occurring in this city that these two officers can spend their evenings ticketing jaywalkers in residential neighborhoods? Why couldn’t these officers simply have escorted this religious person to his home? There was no reason to force this observant Jew to transgress the Sabbath by forcing him to write when the officers knew that they were going to write down his information anyway to hand him a summons.”
Greenfield is demanding a full-scale investigation by the NYPD and the immediate suspension of the officers involved in this incident. “Nobody is a bigger fan of the NYPD than me. These brave men and women keep our city safe every single day. However, among a 34,500 person police force there are bound to be a handful who have no regard for the citizens of this city. When we encounter these few officers, they must be removed immediately.”
As I pointed out in another thread, something is peculiar here. He offered to give his name and address, and he offered to walk with the policemen to another location nearby to provide positive ID, but the policemen would only accept his assertion of who he was if he wrote it down? And even though he was offering to tell them who he was and where he lived, they refused to jot it down themselves?
This makes no sense at all.
The officers showed poor judgement but the guy who was jaywalking was equally responsible. Its no big deal to initial a ticket and avoid a broigas on shabbos and avoid a major confrontation with the police. We don’t need a “major investigation” of this non-incident as demanded by Hikind and Greenfield. We need a brief memo from the police chief reminding officers of the religious preferences of frum yidden and that they don’t carry and don’t want to write or do anything else if at all possible. We don’t need to give the police a shiur an maseches shabbos.
I REMEMBER 14 SHOTS INTO GIDEON BUSH A’H IN BORO PARK BECAUSE HE WAS SWINGING AND THREATENING WITH A HAMMER. WOW..BASIC KARATE CAN TAKE THE HAMMER AWAY. BUT 14 SHOTS ACCORDING TO POLICE MANUAL WAS PROPER PROCEDURE
what was the heter to write?doesnt sound like it was sakanas nefashos
Had I been the victim, I would allow Hikind and greenfield to pursue the disciplinary stuff with NYPD. I would go straight to civil court to sue for damages – violation of civil rights. I would want to know that there was stiff compensation that would be exacted from the criminals in blue. I’m not too sure that the reprimand that they would likely get from NYPD (which neither the mayor nor the union would support) will be a lesson for anyone. Maybe it is greed, but I would sue their blue pants off.
Since when are U.S. citizens obligated to carry or present ID? I’m a lifelong Republican, and recently began to consider starting to support my local ACLU chapter.
Writing with a shinuy is an issuer derabonon, there is no heter ON shabbos to be oiver. (unlike possibly bein hashmoshos letzorech mitzvah). We can be Dan lekaf zechus that the person was a choleh shein Bo sakana, where the situation can be more manageable. He may have had other dependants and unknown circumstances. (Also possibly double shinuy with oines)
Jail is dangerous. Its a sakana. He wrote with a shinui to preserve his own life. Pikuach nefesh. Doctors do it all the time.
I can’t remember last time anyone received a ticket for jaywalking. How old is mr. Emert.. Can u imagine asking a moslem to eat a piece of pork?
Mr. Emert should have allowed to have himself arrested if these were true facts.
Face these officers should be suspended and subjected to departmental censure.
They know the neighborhood and the traditions but were arrogant and dictatorial without snsitivity. Where is our farkakte Mayor? If is was an African american or a Moslem he would be here already screaming. He is an apologetic reform Jew1
What’s the whole issue with the new law in arizona if we need to carry I’d in NY and could be arrested if we don’t….
It was sakonos nefashos to write. Getting thrown in a Brooklyn jail for the night is a sakona. You are not given a private cell. Its a public cell and is often filled with violent thugs. He used a shinui. All of you would have signed and this man did the right thing.
I’ve known Shalom since his bris, but I think there must be more to the story than we are being told. All cops in the Flatbush Midwood precincts receive sensativity training and should know about carrying on Shabbos.
Again it comes back to the point that the precincts give out a daily order on how much tickets the officers must give out, so it ends up ticketing ppl for jaywalking or other stupid things!!!
If this was a Black you’d have Al Sharpton screaming blue bloody murder. Greenfield should pursue this to the bitter end: press conferences at City Hall, Marty Markowitz, Bloomie & all the so-called important people being challenged to speak out, Ray Kelly getting involved….but no. We’ll just shut up, go away, & wait for the next illegal summons, arrest, or cop-beating.
This was harassment & intimidation, plain & simple. And we’ll just roll over, play dead & thank G-d it didn’t happen to us.
the truth of the matter is putting away bad beat cops is nothing new and would be pointless they should go after the supervisors
the point is made by going after that seargent of the group and a precedent has to be made that not only the one who did it but the officers who control them must be put down as a lesson for producing anti-freedom behavior stalinist nazi activity
I just got a Jay Walking ticket in crown hights this past Motsoy Shabbos on Eastern Parkway. The police are tergetting Jews in Jewish areas. The ticket states “Discon Obstructing Veh Traffic” 240.20(5). I never obstructed any traffic!
The police put up a worning in 770 that they will do this. I would like to see them do it in Harlem. In the past they gave wornings. Welcome to the Gestapo NYPD.
what good does having him writing down his name do for the nypd anyway?
A couple of weeks ago, during the course of one week, my husband witnessed the following events: 1) cops started questioning young frum men in front of a certain yeshiva in Flatbush, when they were about to walk in to night seder and a shiur, asking them what they were doing there (goind to yeshiva, duh!) 2) another night he was in a car with some young jewish men, wearing yarmulkas, when a bunch of cops suddenly jumped out of a van with flashlights yelling at the driver (frum young man) to put his hands where they can see them. They questioned the men for some time, and a cop said to my husband, “What’s that in your hand???” My husband answered, “A tissue.” My husband said, this is harrassment, and the cops started cursing at him and required to see his ID.
I say, The cops better stop harrassing young Orthodox men, there is absolutely no reason for it except anti-semitism and hatred. Young Jewish men are not the population involved in street crime!
But if parents filed a report that someone exposed himself the police never reported it then he shot the shomrim members but Jay walking ? That’s a crime gimme a break they stink from the head .bloomy like extending term limits try to shorten your term …time to leave
This exact situation happened to 6 young college age students in S. Diego on the Shabbos after Rosh Hashana. They were cited, and given tickets, after crossing at a light, which was green IN THEIR FAVOR, but they didn’t press the button (it was Shabbos). Mind you, a few blocks down, there are about 5 of 6 lights which the City coordinated for Shabbos use only, so the facts are KNOWN. Yet, these youngsters were stopped (others who crossed the street while they were sitting there (put on the side of the road) were admonished and told not to do it). It is a terrible chilul Hashem, and an absolute boosha that these kids were picked on. Their court date is this week, or they can pay.
They were told that if they didn’t want to sign, they would have to go in the car, have pictures taken, stay in jail until Tuesday (there were too many other cases ahead of them) and do finger prints and sign anyway. So they signed.
And the cop says “My maiden name is Goldenberg, so I know all the Jewish rules”. WOW!!!
Mr. Emert admitted to jaywalking, which is illegal in NYC. Had he not jaywalked, he would not have been ticketed. I’m sorry he was put in the position of having to be mechalel Shabbos. I respectfully suggest the NYPD offer mandatory in-service comprehensive Ethnicity & Diversity training to the entire department. Officers would learn to be more sensitive to the social, cultural, and religious sensibilities of the people residing in their jurisdictions. Most cops do an excellent job. It’s the few over-zealous ones who use excessive force that escalate a minor incident into a major one. Jaywalking is a trivial offense compared with violent crime, but jaywalkers contribute to accidents. Just because many people jaywalk to save time does not make it right. Be careful and law abiding. The life you save may be your own.
Are we living im Communist Russia???? Who carries ID with them? Does it come down to me having to carry my ID if I take out the garbage or just visit the grocery store???? Those cops whould be taken away their badge! Let them do desk service. Azah Shande! Thanks Mr Greenfeld and Dov Hikind for stepping in, as usual!
In the summer of 1964, there was four cops stationed on the corner of Union Square & 14th Street, waiting for people to jaywalk, and subsequently issuing jaywalking tickets. Also, in 1960, they were issuing tickets in the Wall Street area. Mayor Wagner started the jaywalking ticket campaign in the late 1950’s. The jaywalking ticketing campaign, became extinct, when Mayor Lindsay became Mayor. Regarding the commentator who referred to Gideon Busch, there is no definitive proof that he was actually swinging his hammer at the cops. The cops in that situation, could have waiting the situation out, until a mental health team arrived. Busch was not advancing on the cops; the situation was basically a standoff. The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s office were useless in that case, as it was never pursued federally. Incidentally, jaywalking is not only a serious offense for pedestrians, but for drivers as well. A driver who swerves to avoid a pedestrian, can lose control, and strike another car and/or pedestrians, and cause additional injuries or deaths. According to Halacha, we are mandated to obey the laws of the country, which we live in, including laws against jaywalking.
But if parents filed a report that someone exposed himself the police never reported it then he shot the shomrim members but Jay walking ? That’s a crime gimme a break they stink from the head .bloomy like extending term limits try to shorten your term …time to leave
I agree that the police were in the wrong.
However, so was our brother. There is a law of following the laws of the land (when it doesn’t conflict with Torah Law).
We need to behave in such a way that we do not give reasons or excuses for this type of action. Had he crossed the street legally, the situation would not have happened.
I am distressed by the references to the “Gestapo NYPD” and “yellow stars.” Let’s not minimize the horrors of the Holocaust by making such ridiculous comparisons.
The question here is not the crime of jaywalking. It is the behavior of the cops. If there is anything to the media report and complaint, they were way out of line. Whether it was motivated by anti-semitism or by quotas, perhaps the investigation might reveal. But, as an earlier commenter said, let the politicians pursue the NYPD investigative stuff. I just want to sue the officers in court for the violation of rights.
it’s a message to all the Jews do not carry even though there is eruv in borough Park.
Can you say that jaywalking id forbidden by the law of the land, given that everyone jaywalks and nobody observes that law. I jaywalk every day many times in front of police. I had know idea they would think of ticketing me for it. It is just done!
Giving tickets for Jaywalking is a good way to raise money for the city. These cops are jackbooted govt thugs, acting like Homon harosho y”sh, high and mighty.
The question here is not the crime of jaywalking. Yes it is. The perp admitted he committed the crime before the cops stopped him. Jaywalking, a dangerous and illegal habit, is the main issue. If he had not wandered across the street the cops would have no reason to stop him. If this man had been pulled over for no reason, I would join the masses calling for the cops to be dismissed, but he admits he did something wrong. The cops should have been more sensitive but Emert should have been more careful. His jaywalking could have caused a Hatzolah ambulance to swerve and kill a pedestrian, chas v’shalom.