Queens, NY – A Queens community has established a plan to cope with the annual Orthodox Jewish pilgrimage — and the trash left in its wake.
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Up to 25,000 Chabad-Lubavitch Jews are expected to gather in Cambria Heights this weekend to pay tribute at the grave of their leader, the Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson. The rebbe died June 12, 1994, but this Saturday marks the 18th anniversary of his passing under the Hebrew calendar.
“It is a time to ask for blessing and to connect with his soul,” said Rabbi Abba Refson, of the Ohel Chabad-Lubavitch, the synagogue hosting the event.
But the annual pilgrimage, which draws Orthodox Jews from all over the world, irritates residents in the middle-class, African American enclave. Neighbors have said some visitors hog parking spots and leave trash strewn over otherwise well-kept yards.
“The ruder ones think nothing of urinating on our front lawns or defecating in the bushes,” said Richard Davis, 73.
An added complication: This year the event falls on the Sabbath, meaning the Ultra-Orthodox followers cannot drive or ride the subway Saturday and some will camp overnight.
Sounds pretty bad the way they describe the Jews coming to visit.
People urinate on front lawns? i don’t believe that statement for a second because police would be there to issue summonses if that was going on every year.
I went last year and i only saw massive crowds but they were all respectful. I didn’t see garbage on the floor because there many large garbage containers for one to throw out their garbage.
The only issue is having 25,000 people and having major traffic. This is once a year so the neighbors should stop complaining. When they had a chance to sell their homes they didn’t now the economy stinks and the neighbors are not getting the value of years ago so they are all bitter.
““The ruder ones think nothing of urinating on our front lawns or defecating in the bushes,” said Richard Davis, 73.”
What an anti Semite. I’ve been making annual pilgrimages for Shabbos of the Rebbe’s yohrtzeit since 1995, and I must say that is pure unadulterated anti Semitic drivel (not to mention a massive lie).
they have taken such extra caution this year,the neighbors hav nothing to worry bout.clear signs by every driveway.a whole cleaning crew.tons of watebaskets.a lot of port a johnnys.people comng for shabbos will NOT be sleeping on neighbors lawns but rather in a hotel,large tents set up in empty lots bout a mile away….they can rest assure
Imagine if the tables were turned and yidden spoke of African-Americans in such as way.
Maybe one nut once got drunk and pished on a lawn. There is always an exception to the rule of the orderly crowds that come to the Ohel on 3 Tammuz, and always an anti-Semite to make a rule out of that exception. Like many older lower middle class “homeowners” who were sucked into the mortgage craze, that Richard Davis probably has negative equity in his home and is angry at Jews because to him, Jews are the bankers that dun him for money every month.
When I lived in NY I went to the Ohel every few weeks at different hours of the day to daven, as well as two consecutive years on Gimmel Tammuz, and never once did I see anything resembling disrespectful behavior to the neighbors or fellow mispalelim. Most of the neighbors are not Richard Davis either; they’re hard-working people who aren’t looking for fights.
was there this morniing, there were plenty of ppl there, and NOONE was rude or doing anything these ppl say..
there are signs by each driveway instructing ppl not to block etc
i wish they would behave as nice on labor day in crown heights as the yidden are behaving there
but then again, if there is only nice things to say… its not news!
Frum Jews don’t act they way describe by the neighborhood
Don’t believe the statements of the neighbors regarding the visitors “urinating on front lawns or defecating in the bushes. There are bathrooms near the Rebbi’s Ohel. People will say anything to denigrate Jews and it’s believed without any fact checking.
Oh man what a bunch of unchecked rubbish coming from a 73yr old loser of mass proprotions of brain loss.
I can’t believe the DN actually printed this – makes you wonder about each and every other article they “print”.
I can promise you this guy has indeed no equity, no job, no life and no chance for recovery whatsoever – how sad.
Like someone posted if the blacks acted on labor day in crown heights the way the jews act on gimel tamuz it would be the day moshiach came period!
How utterly pathethic.
May the rebbe and all fellow tazaddikim on high pray for us all.
And what about the West Indian Day Parade every year in CH, with drunken and violent mobs roving the streets. The Lubavitchers there must hide out intheir homes all day or escape the premises.
Unfortunately, there are Yidden who leave a mess, and are not very good about either personal hygiene, or cleanliness in areas that they frequent. When I went to the local JCC health club, there were inconsiderate Yidden, who would leave their dirty gym clothes strewn all over the locker room. At the local Kollel, there are also messy people who leave food all over the floor, as well as dirty tissues on the tables. At Kiddushes, how many people clean up?
ive been to the ohel on the yurtzeit about 3 yrs in a row… and im a HUGE critic generally….
seemed very well behaved and orderly almost to a fault..
in fact the pilgrims seemed to have a very nice rapport with the police as well…
overall very impressive and good representation…
and in terms of the inconvenience… its ONE day a year (generally) ..gimme a break
if someone cant handle that , they dont belong in NY
I was walking down the street in Cambria Heights with my baby in the stroller and just as I walked past a sprinkler on a lawn, the sprinkler turned on just as I was in the right spot to get soaked. As soon as I walked past, the sprinkler turned off. What a coincidence!