Dear Readers,
Yesterday, I viewed one of the most vile and despicable videos I’ve ever seen,
and that is saying a lot in the age of WhatsApp, Group chats, and the like.
I viewed a video of Lakewood Police Officers arresting a Rabbi.
That’s right, you read that correctly. Men in uniform making a public arrest of a local Rabbi. Not quite a common occurrence, and jarring to say the least.
But that wasn’t the vile and despicable aspect of the video, and more about the context of the arrest in a moment.
I watched horrified, as a group of presumably members of his Kehillah, many of whom were unmasked, gathered chaotically around this group of officers, taunting and berating these men who were doing their job, enforcing the law; acting quietly, calmly, and professionally, and putting their own health in harms way to protect the very crowd who were verbally attacking them…. from themselves.
Apparently, the several thousand cases (reported and unreported), and nearly 100 Levayos in the town from this dreadful virus were not enough for them. The Lag Ba’omer fire and festivities had to go on. Had to.
This crowd, most of whom were likely born and raised in this town; a town that has been so blessed and privileged.
A town who the Frum community has virtual control over as some would say, or more than significant influence in the towns affairs, would others.
A town where Frum members of the community have served for years in the government, on school boards, planning boards, and are intimately intertwined with all major local decisions made.
The home of largest Yeshiva in the world with familiarity into the state and federal government.
A Police Chief who is literally part of the fabric of the community, and officers, who engage with its citizens, are known to our Shuls, Askanim, school leaders, and even school children, and many in between.
While not drawing ANY justification in the verbal abuse of law enforcement period, let’s put this into context: We aren’t some underprivileged or underserved community who feels threatened or victimized by the authorities and police as some minority communities across the country do. This also isn’t Meah Shearim, where there are unbridgeable ideological differences between the citizens and the government which cause tensions and mutual mistrust to boil over between the two factions.
This is Lakewood, NJ.
The home of the largest Orthodox Jewish community in the Country.
The town where the township sets up crossing guard stations, light towers, and electric billboards on Purim to make traffic flow easier and allow us to celebrate without issue or disturbance.
A town that rearranges the Public Works schedule to accommodate our own unique schedule during the year.
This is the town, that sets up extra patrols over Yomim Tovim to our neighborhoods when many are away to provide extra security and comfort, although they don’t have to.
This is the town that over the 1st day of Pesach this year, incredibly arranged patrol cars to go around neighborhoods who’d experienced a sudden power outage, announcing over the loudspeaker, the Psak of one of the towns leading Poskim on how to deal with an oven that shut off.
You will not see that anywhere in America BUT in THIS town, Lakewood, NJ.
This is the town where police coordinate on every major function, venue and event. Short notice Levaya? No problem. Major Mosad Dinner, massive distribution centers before Yom Tov? They are right there keeping everyone safe and lending a hand.
Involved in community events, crisis, coordinating with Chaveirim, LCSW, Hatzalah? You bet.
It’s also practically unheard of for an arrest to be made for disorderly conduct or other in our community. Simply unheard of. There is a remarkable unheard of cohesion between the townspeople, the township government, and our police force in all matters. Big and small.
So when these officers, who swear an oath to protect and defend, are dispatched to break up an illegal gathering, that is in direct violation of state/federal guidelines and the Governors Executive Orders, and the leader of this venue based on reporting is either non-compliant, belligerent, or even aggressive towards the officers, and they are then compelled to make an arrest, our very own townspeople and members of our very own community scream and yell at them, insulting and mocking them? Is this even possible??
I thought that would be the end and the worst of it, but then the video footage continued. The darkest and most repulsive moment was saved for the end, when the crowd, urged on by the bloviating and abominable, peanut-gallery ringleader, gathered around the patrol car and began to chant and screech some of the dirtiest, most sickening words known in our Faiths lexicon; reserved for the most evil human beings known to mankind, during the most destructive and horrific moments in our history. Gestapo. Nazi. Over and over they screamed in their faces.
10,000 thunderous bellowings of outrage do not even touch the surface of the repulsion and abhorrence of this moment. It would be diminishing and diminutive to even begin to draw lines of distinction here – Between the officers and the words and titles this group of depraved individuals DARED to utter in vain. Words cannot even put it into context.
The respect and admiration for these officers only grew when you watched them, carry-on respectfully, and with minimal aggression to a non-compliant arrestee, without commenting back to the crowd or instigating further.
But above their masked faces and sweaty brows, the streetlights that illuminated their faces, exposed their eyes to the camera, showed a dumbfounded, maybe slightly frightened, and silent befuddled expression in the officers eyes.
“Why are they doing this?”
“Is this what we deserve serving our town and protecting this community?”, they must’ve thought.
I’m sure later than night or early in the morning when they returned home to their families from the night shift and lay their heads on their pillows, the chants and slurs rang through their head over and over. Gestapo. Nazi. The less well-informed of them, perhaps had to Google one of those words, and probably lost his breath when reading about the men who carried that title and the atrocities they committed.
I just hope they also knew, and know, that this crowd was standing on its own. Alone in shameful isolation. Their actions, aggression, and repugnant, disgraceful, abominable behavior was sadly their own and there’s alone. Their repentance for this public disgrace and desecration of God’s name and our people, is between them and their Creator.
The remainder of our great town stands shoulder to shoulder with these officers and the rest of the police force, and praise you for your just and measured actions, supreme efforts, and loyal dedication in keeping our beautiful, diverse, co-existing, mutually respectful town safe, healthy, and secure.
Sincerely,
An embarrassed, but proud member of the Jewish Community.
(TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to [email protected])
I’m sorry you had to see that. It seems like everyone’s brains arent functioning well during this pandemic. But…do not forget all of the others who’ve been abiding by the laws all along.
More specific, the overwhelming majority-
Less a few PELEG types that follow this “Rabbi” AGAINST the community Rabbonim at large.
thank you to all our police officers!
I agree.
Took the words out of my mouth.
I’m a proud jew, stop printing anti-Semitic info by self-hating jews.
Shame on you for embarrassing the Jewish nation and making a true chilul hashem by speaking on hashem’s children.
You must have misread this.
It isn’t anti Semitic to point out that the actions of a few fools don’t represent yidden as a whole.
this isn’t anti Semitic read it again please
I’m not mekaneh the gehinom of those involved and who have caused this massive chilull hashem….good luck
Your a 100 percent correct! And this rabbi iwas put in cherem his actions have embarrest our community time and time again !i hope our larger community understands that he is not one of us and doesn’t represent the religious community.
Very sorry and very sad
I commend the letter write above who is reflecting the opinion of the Lakewood community. The Lakewood police have been most respectful and gracious to our community. We value them and appreciate them, individually and as a team.
I’m sorry for the officers that were treated so horribly last night. I’m embarrassed that this came from our town. Please know that the group involved does not represent the rest of us!
Thank you LPD!
The whole Jewish community agrees with the letter writer.
The ones who screamed “gestapo” and “nazi” should go and apologize.
How dare you compare the kind and professional and caring Lakewood police force to out the murderers of our grandparents?????
There is [and always was] and always will be a few individuals who are “smarter than everyone else”.
Let us not foll ourselves in thinking that these pitiful few represent EVEN A MINORITY viewpoint.
I’m sorry u had to experience that. some ppls brain are affected by this pandemic.
Just remember some of us are still abiding the laws and will keep doing so.
SOME of us !??
Well said. I agree to every word
lets not live in the past there might have been a very bad outbreak in our community but to continue to shut everything down now 2 weeks after it ended is uncalled for.
and to say how nice the police are and all the other things that you droned on with is irrelevant because it just shows how they are just puppets of a few well connected now if toughs same people would demand that Jewish life such as shuls and other things go on they would and the police would ignore murfy as they do all over the country with other governors that they disagree with
what in the world are you saying. im having a very hard time understanding last 3 lines. as for the rest of your gibberish, it is never ok to say thosse kinds of things and act that way to aw enforcement, regardless of how much smarter you are than the doctors.
The outbreak in Lakewood didn’t end 2 weeks ago, it still ongoing,. There have been an additional 50 new cases and 10 deaths since Friday, May 8.
50 new cases as in positive tests or hospitalizations. Most people in lakewood would very likely test positive to corona virus particles found in their nose, the virus has made it’s rounds all over lakewood, question is how many hospitalized. Also deaths can be from people that got infected weeks ago. Where is your source for cases and deaths for lakewood from?
looking at ocean county health department 6 dead in entire county in that period and a total of 61 cases i dont think all were in lakewood
Beautifully written. Could not have said this any better. I hope those involved publicly apologize.
LPD is the best of the best. Lakewood truly loves, respects and appreciates each and every one of you.
Thank you for expressing so eloquently the sentiments of us all.
Thank you for posting most of our view we I agree with every word we stand with our men in blue and Thank them for putting themselves on the line for us each and every day
Thank you for that letter. Couldn’t have said it better. I was also taken aback when I saw that video. I hope the police officers don’t think of the community in any different way than the did before these few people made these embarrassing remarks. The jewish people have to know that whatever action the take is a action on the whole Jewish population & not just their little bubble that they are in.
Couldn’t have said it better…. right on … our community has no tolerance for this chilul hashem we should be מוחה with every fiber in our body
I wish it could be made known that the entire community stands by our great public officials and font associate ourselves with this evil
Thank you so much for your time and efforts in penning this most beautiful letter. Very well said! My only hope is that the officers involved understand that these people are outliers and by no means a presentation of our otherwise beautiful community! I feel confident and comfortable saying that most people in our community were sickened when they viewed these most despicable and abhorrent videos. Thank you again!
Lakewood Township has a total of 2050 positive COVID cases and 117 COVID 19 fatalities. I cannot understand why people are still having gatherings when you have a 5.7% fatality rate in Lakewood.
Not to mention to the new cases of children testing positive for COVID 19. The Lakewood PD bends over backwards for the Lakewood community and this is how you treat these officers doing their jobs so you can be safe?
There are thousands of more cases in lakewood, they just didn’t test. Also keep in mind that the majority people have it mild or no symptoms. There has barely been any new hospitalizations in lakewood for the past 2 weeks, most likely almost everyone has come in contact with this type/strain of corona virus.
Fatality rate if 5.7???
Either you are smoking something or reading too much APP.
(App bases their numbers off of positive tests. Best guess is that maybe 1 in 50 covid patients actually got tested. And those were the ones with symptoms.)
I see you’re embarrassed, and you should be! You should be embarrassed for this loshon hora and rechilus that you are causing to go around. Two wrongs do not make a right in yiddishkeit. Whatever it was that they did, there was NO reason for you to put it here in a public forum so that people who don’t know about it, now know about it.
Shame on you! Quit being such a self-righteous person. IT’S YOU SELF-RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE THAT ARE USUALLY THE PROBLEM, AND HERE YOU ARE PROVING IT AGAIN.
You are wrong. This was completely l’toeles as he’s warning the community to have hakaras hatov to the police and not degrade them in any way shape or form
I blushed with embarrassment while watching it.
Thank you for posting this apology. We love our police department and commend the restraint of the officers in dealing with this situation.
U dont think the arrest was aranged being that he was arrested just a day or two after suing the state??
No, it was because the “rabbi”, as he likes to call himself, illegally and dangerously gathered a bunch of people at a time when it is dangerous. If he hadn’t, he would not have been arrested.
I don’t think there was any legal basis for arresting the rabbi. From what I heard, he had it clear that whatever was being done was in line with the law. There were some 10-20 people there – spread out, and fire was in a can. There have been long lines in many stores ever since the beginning of the shutdown. Police and fire marshal were there – probably sent by someone looking for trouble. Was there a reason for his arrest?! Stating that the officers acted calmly proves nothing. Sorry, we respect police and government and the law, but if the arrest was made for no real reason, that is an error. Please don’t write heart-wrenching articles without knowing details. And, as mentioned, he had just opened a lawsuit against the state to allow minyanim – this is just as a priest did – and the priest won (in some way – as I heard)!
So maybe “someone” said to ‘rough him up’.
As you indeed said, this is Lakewood (-and not Abu Graib. But oh, no – another horrific comparison!!)
(As for the general law of limiting gathering, this has been a subject of intense politics since the beginning. There are many questions, and recently they have been lifting the shutdown somewhat. Anyways, to have gatherings of ten people was never against the law. The main question was if hospitals don’t respect us enough or social media showing pictures.) Thank you
Wow. Well said, thank you. These people whom you speak of are not representative of the community. I have not seen it, and I’m shocked.
This is a terrible story. Must have been State police and not the local Lakewood Police Department whom we all love so much. I didn’t hear about this story until this article so I’m glad you posted it even though it may be loshon Hora? Where/when did it happen? I wonder if no one told me about it because it was loshon hora or just because I’m not on social media.
Lakewood Police know that they are family to us all in Lakewood like it should be and they have are backing. Can you give us more details or maybe take down the story. Thanks
Powerful.
Hopefully the right people will see this.
Hopefully Hashem will have rachmanus on us.
Hopefully we didn’t just push moshiach away…again.
I agree 100 percent! It’s well known that the rabbi involved has been negligent and belligerent from the beginning of this pandemic. He has made a tremendous Chillul hashem and does not show any remorse or desire to tone things down. He repeatedly led others into batei midrashos ,including BMG,that were closed and had them gather there against the orders of police. The police have actually been extremely restrained and patient with him. You can’t imagine how many warnings he has had, and how many times he has screamed at them and straight out ignored them. He is over on lifnei iver among many other things, and has a lot to answer for. Literally over 99 percent of Lakewood residents have complied, including roshei yeshivos and chashuve rabbonim, and he has to be holier than thou. This is what comes of taking Torah and applying crum shitas to it. There will always be lost souls and weak souls who will follow just about anyone who is a rabble rouser, so yes, definitely scorn them but also pity those followers. But the leader of this gathering is a maizid and the rabbanim in town should make a formal declaration of disagreement
Wow!! That may have been the greatest written letter I’ve ever seen on this site! There is not a word I can add to this, other than too say yesss! Thank you for taking the time to write this and let’s all try to make an effort to show our appreciation for those tasked with protecting us each and every day.
The one thing I disagree with what you wrote is they most likely did NOT grow up in this town….
Very articulate letter. I agree with every word. This “Rabbi” and all his followers need to be on the next flight out. Period. What an absolute disgrace. I just hope everyone out there knows that THIS is not US. This is not Judaism. It is far from it. This is everything that we do NOT represent. I am sick about this.
“David”The death rate is not accurate. Most of Lakewood hasn’t tested at all for the virus because tests were not really available right after Purim and before Pesach when most of Lakewood had it so it’s actually more like 40,000+ people that probably had the virus.
Couldn’t have agreed more! Well said.
100%.
We love our officers.
These foolish children acted completely on their own.
Thank you LPD for protecting our town.
extremely well articulated and on point. Thank you.
Wonderfully written letter which perfectly expresses the outrage that we all feel. Thank you for writing this and thank you TLS for posting this. To our courageous men in blue: Thank you for all that you do and know that these fringe individuals are not representative of the admiration that we all hold you in.
One of the many reasons to stay off Whatsapp! #Shut it down! #SocialMediaDistancing #שמור מרחק
Exactly! There are always some rotten apples out there. Social Media portrays such instances as if they are commonplace and the reality, as if this is the norm and going on all over. The Lakewood Police Department is experienced enough to realize that there are many colorful and different people and subcommunities within the Lakewood Jewish community at large. (And btw, they had recently seen the Nazi chants on Social media from the Beit Shemesh situation….it’s time for the grownup ppl to put away their smart toys!! Do it for your children and for yourself and for klal yisroel)
I was thinking that too. I’m not on Whatsapp and so I have no clue what this letter is referring to. I’m grateful.
Thank you to our dedicated police officers.
That being said, I haven’t heard or seen anything about this incident, so you posting it here is probably lishon hara or rechilus. No need to publicize, you can write letters directly to the police Dept.
This was on the non Jewish news, so yes, we do need to distance ourselves publicly from the actions of a few.
The rov involved is someone who dozens of Lakewood rabbanim said not to have anything to do with him, no surprise his minyons act in such a fashion.
I don’t believe not one single word. This is loshon harah.
Thank you for this well-written article. I was hoping someone would do it. This behavior was despicable and wrong. The rabbi is a provocative fool for Doing what he did And asking for trouble. And the fools around him are simply rabble rousers. Kudos for the LPD for the professional way they executed the job of protecting our people. Shame on those trouble makers using the Torah as masks to defiant behavior.
I saw that on a whats-app chat too, I couldn’t sleep all night, i was SO disturbed by the chilul hashem they made. Even Yom kippur isnt michaper on a chilul hashem like that. I hope someone reached out to the officers involved to apologize & let them know that Rabbi & his group definitely doesn’t represent the rest of us. Horrible.
Just imagine if you wouldnt have whats App you would have had a much better sleep. Get rid of it. It will do you very good ( besides help you sleep)
Thanks so much to the letter writer.
The scenes that happened Monday night were so painful, so awful, and so repugnant…
I’m sure LPD, who knows we are better than that, know that this was a small set of lunatics that in now way represent the larger community.
I commend the LPD for the restraint they showed in the face of such vile shouts.
Thank you to the letter writer for apologizing publicly on behalf of the community. To “like it needs to be said” you are a blatant idiot. Don’t blame the letter writer for stepping up to the plate and doing the right thing. The story was published in the APP and other papers and unfortunately is public knowledge. So he is not the loshon hora person you jake him out to be. He the person that is being our messenger in apologizing for this terrible incident.
I was also appalled when I read about this. This letter couldn’t have been written better. Send those gangsters back to Israel where they think it’s ok by a Hafgana to call the police and soldiers such horrific names. (Which is not ok). They don’t belong in our community. The LPD go way above and beyond to protect our community and they deserve the utmost respect.
What your saying may be true but deffintly was wrong to post, your not gonna fix the world the only thing you can fix is yourself, and we all have what to fix. Not sure if you thought about the lashon Horace you spread, sure hope you didn’t.
#thinkbeforeyoupost
Thnk u LPD for all u do u guys/gals are the best!!!!!
To say what happened is not representative of the Lakewood community is an understatement in every sense of the word. LPD the gratitude we have to you is endless!
wow! wish I could write like that!! both substance and style are superb!
Dear Mr.Sonei Yisroel; What have you done for Klal Yisroel in the last 2 months besides see bad? Have you donated to Hatzolah, Bikur Cholim, Chaverim, etc etc? Have you volunteered to help the klal? Donated plasma? Anything? It’s not them who are the poirtzei geder, it’s you who publicizes the shmutz. What a chilul hashem. Go do a write up on The 100s of cases NOT in Lakewood that are 100 times worse, or better yet write a letter about the INCREDIBLE good this community does. Show some love
This is not a for or against the content of the letter. Just pointing out that because Jews against Jews especially in a public format is a serious thing I would hope that the letter writer and more importantly TLS who provided the platform for this First asked their LOR if this is appropriate to write and post and not just a cowboy move invoked by chilul hashem to allow your passion to make decisions by yourself. Again not here to argue the content just that not all we think must be written and printed. We’re the am hanivchar. All of us. Not just those we wrote against. Even us letter writer. We ask guidance from our Rav before being self appointed spokesperson for the Jewish people.
I too saw the video, I didn’t see fear in our Officers eyes. Just stead fast confidence and professionalism.
Thank you for posting this letter. I am so completely horrified about the conduct in that video.
1- the lakewood police department is incredible. They do so much for the town and really keep things safe. They deserve all the love and respect in the world.
2- The Jews I know talk with respect no matter what. These people in the video do not represent me and my circles and I think that all Jews deserve an apology for the chillul hashem they caused.
3- The holocaust is a very serious matter. It is disrespectful to holocaust victims to compare an arrest to that.
I am just so sickened and upset. And I would also like to know who they are to be sure my kids never cross paths with people who can shame our community like that.
Sign up this letter writer to a full time job at the Scoop.
The Lashon Hara scoop?
I saw the video and was horrified by it, and I very much appreciate your beautifully written and masterfully articulate letter explaining the situation.
To those claiming it’s lashon hara, no names were mentioned, and it doesnt appear to be clear at all throughout the letter who these people are.
Further, it serves a constructive purpose in mitigating the chilul hashem caused by the belligerents, wouldn’t that Solve lashon hara problems?
Very disturbing. Only a fool says that it’s WhatsApp’s fault and they should be closed down. All those taunting the officers could’ve legally been arrested and should’ve . This is a time when there’s a rise in anti semitism. Why can’t people use their brains?
Dear Letter Writer. Thank you for standing up to this massive chillul hashem. We have the most amazing and dedicated Police Department and we are most appreciative for all that they do. To the Police Officers that were offended by the disgusting slurs: this person is not a “rabbi” and has no following. He is a troublemaker who always looking for a fight. He does no represent anyone other than himself. He has no Bais Din. He is one big joke and a blemish to our Community. I’m sorry for what you went though. Please find a place in your heart to forgive.
Thank you for writing an apology to the LPD, I was so embarrassed as I watched the video, please know they r the small minority. We appreciate all that LPD do for us.
Monday nights incident was shameful and reprehensible and in no way represents the vast majority of the community. As a lifelong resident of Lakewood, I thank the brave men and women of the Lakewood Police Department that put their lives on the line for us daily. This “rabbi” and the rabble that gathered around him should be ashamed of themselves.
Thank you letter writer.
That such a thing can happen after all the LPD has done for our community and after we have learned so much over this Pandemic about middos and the importance of following Malchuso Dina… completely is heart breaking.
Lakewood stands behind our courageous and ever so devoted officers. We will not allow this group of Erev Rav to dirty and shame the name of our community, the name of the Jewish people, and most importantly the Name of Hashem.
Thank you to the letter writer, and above all thank you to LPD for keeping us safe from these monsters who are so careless about public health.
The death rate has BH slowed down in town, but do we really want to risk the 2nd wave that all the States who have reopened too quickly are starting to experience??
I read this article and agreed totally.
We are blessed to have such a wonderful and professional police force to protect our families. I read somewhere else that the police were responding to calls from the neighbors complaining about the noise and the “rabbincally dressed” ringleader refused to comply with the LPD and was arrested after disobeying the police officers just as they would arrest anyone who directly ignores a directive from the police and rightfully so. It is entirely possible that the officers did not even know who this person was and about the pending lawsuit.
As far as lashon hara goes, once something is on INTERNATIONAL NEWS I don’t think you can throw that around as an accusation to the letter writer.
such a true and sincere letter. Anyone that calls a police officer that risks his life every day on the job, “a nazi” should go back and study history about what real nazis were.
Anyone that calls a police officer that risks his life every day on the job, “a nazi” should go back and study history about what real nazis were.
WOW! This letter is absolutely beautiful!
Thank you for writing on behalf of the community, all of Klal Yisroel, and Hashem Himself!
I’m baffled by the ongoing comments of those who justify the behaviors of these misguided and poorly educated individuals. Yes, the ones who clearly demonstrate their level of education with gross grammatical errors and spelling that befits a kindergartener. SHAME ON ALL OF YOU!
Back to the inyan. Dina dmalchusa dina! Period! From a medical standpoint. From a legal as well as a responsibility standpoint. How DARE you defy?
And use terms that MY parents had daily nightmares about. The daily PTSD that I witnessed my parents suffer from. THEY met face to face with the Gestapo. THEY ran and hid every second of every day from the nazis ysv”z.
Do you even know what you were saying? Or was this your immature and impulsive way of trying to defend a violator? Is this what makes you feel powerful? Throwing hateful words – whose definitions I’m confident you can’t even remotely begin to understand!
I’m not a Lakewood resident. I AM a shomer Torah. Daven 3 times a day. Yeshiva grad. All my kids graduated yeshivos and their kids are enrolled in the finest mosdos. I’m NOT the unaffiliated jew as some have suggested in their posts.
We seemingly have the same religious backgrounds. Where did you go astray? Is there a pirush or a pshat in Torah that I perhaps missed out on which gives you a hetter to cause justify your condoning of such a monumental chilul hashem?
To the letter writer: I stand in awe if your statements. Don’t allow the few misguided youth to deflate your courage.
Lakewood, you all rock!!
These words couldn’t say it better I agree with every last bit of this!!
I am extremely upset at the scoop for only posting bias comments towards their agenda me and my friends tried saying otherwise and was not posted
wow such juicy news where can i watch this video. ps mabey the scoop can post it as i cant watch utube tnx
First, there is a discussion re the parameters of dino demalchusa dino. Not clear if that is applicable to this case. We would appreciate that those who have weak knowledge of the sugya to pipe down.
Next, the LPD has a zero tolerance policy for public gatherings and that was well known. No reason to fight this.
Furthermore and more importantly, we have to be very careful about who and what we label other people. Referring to someone as a sonei yisrael is not simple. It is even more treacherous to refer to someone as a Nazi. The context here is not persecution; it is a general rule that applies to any gathering in New Jersey that has limits. The police have a duty to enforce the rule of law, which they were doing. Even if the law is unjust, it is not about persecution.
Call David Duke a Nazi. Maybe Pat Buchanan. Other rouge members of the police. Not those who are upholding a law intended to protect everyone’s welfare, especially a police force that has a history of making accommodations for our community.
As for the writer, I do not appreciate the self-righteousness. You could have kept to the point about your feelings for what happened without saying but this is Lakewood ad nauseam and how we stand shoulder to shoulder with the LPD. Your feelings are acceptable; your assumption of community spokesperson is not.
Buddy, we are individuals. You are wrong for judge your fellow.
I just saw a forty second clip on the local radio station site. I did not see the whole thing.
I saw civil disbediance in the (American) tradition of Thoreau and the line following Mohandas Ghandi and MLK.
Did you know that Asher Levy was the first to fight for his rights in American, and win (the right to serve in the militia,1655).
You cannot judge others. The rabbi does not represent anyone but himself and others (and there are many in the US today) who want to fight for their civil rights (he is probably wrong as a matter of const. law).
TLS is running a one sides version on the whole subject
There is plenty of Rabbonim that don’t agree to the whole shul shut down business.
Just to name 2
Senior Rabbi of BMG and the skvere Dayan
Their daas Torah is not being mentioned here
It’s no wonder why we are still in golus after how we truly fell all the way thru from this nisoyin
Unbelievable how everyone here thinks their policing us cuz they mean our well-being.
Are we seriously blind can’t we see how kvod shomayim is so low, no one here praising this writer has any issue with shul being shut! 1
Please, if most of our leading rabbanim are guiding us to follow social distancing protocols, kindly don’t mention if (in your opinion) Rabbi A or Rabbi B is against the “shut down business”. And that last comment about kvod shamayim – wow. Just wow. Kvod shamayim means listening to our rabbanim and following their directives. When the Health Ministry in EY allowed outdoor minyanim with 19 people (shortly after Pesach), Rav Gershon Edelstein famously said, “It’s mutar to participate in such a minyan, and one who wants to be machmir and daven at home, tavo alav bracha.” Can we let our rabbanim decide what kvod shamayim is in this situation?
As someone very close to the skver DAYAN …. I wrote a long post… but then decided to leave it at this.. I do not believe the above to be accurate …
Just saying . pls do not make up stories about Gedolim
I am sorry for the officers who experienced such poor treatment.
The disgraceful and reckless behavior of those individuals is a reflection on them alone and no one else.
Thank you LPD for your dedication and professional care for our community. We appreciate and respect you greatly. Stay safe and healthy.
How come you only post some stuff from my friends
My reaction to seeing the video was אוי לו לפלוני שלמד תורה. אוי לו לאביו שלמדו תורה. אוי לו לרבו שלמדו תורה. פלוני שלמד תורה ראו כמה מקולקלין מעשיו וכמה מכוערין דבריו.
I have never been so sickened in my life. Not only should they be ashamed, they should all open a history book and learn what the Holocaust was really like.
How dare they compare the police to the Nazi gestapo that arrested people for walking down the street, tortured them, experimented on them, and killed thousands of frum yidden?
The other day I heard that goyim were arrested for using a playground illegally. The police were professional. This incident wasn’t anti-semitism. The police were simply enforcing laws. These aren’t gestapo arresting people for being Frum, they are the men and women that go above and beyond to respect our culture. They are the people that have helped set the temperature on Shabbos.
I can only hope that they realize that the small group doesn’t represent the community as a whole, and they do continue to assist when we need them.
What was illegal in this case? He understood that what he is doing is legal.
All of you! Come on,GET A LIFE! Calm down! Yes, this incident is wrong and very unfortunate, but why all this shmuts and hate?! Do you all get a cut from the LPD to pump them up!
Who takes polls via friend and decided this thing is over and you can do what ever you want . There are 1000’s yes 1000’s in lakewood who did NOT get corona . Act responsible and follow (frum)doctor gov guidelines ! Don’t be a oberchochom! It was paskin that those who disregard have a din ‘rodef’ by R Chaim Kaniefsky it’s up to doctors not you to decide when the danger has passed to the puplic
These youths need us to give them some harsh discipline and a mussar drasha doesnt come close. How about we take away their smatphones? I know it will be called cruel and unusual punishment. How about
.close down their gatherings. Dont allow them to get any take out food. Find out what they value most and block or remove it. If they cant behave then make them behave. How about we find them and yell at them mida kineged middah. At 930 am in the morning while they are trying to sleep in after a long night of hanging out and doing nothing. Spoiled brats that need the other 99.9% of us to make an example out of them so this never happens again.
In addition to all the verbal thanks to our Lakewood PD we should organize a fund to purchase some doughnuts or other treats for them on a regular basis. Anyone know how to get this going?
What a beautiful idea! but maybe open a fund for giving doughnuts and treats to the ones that sit and learn day and night and are protecting all of us as we all know…
The overwhelming majority of the citizens of Lakewood are abiding by all of the governors recommendations, unfortunately it’s always the rotten apple that stands out.
Lakewood as community is almost 100% Compliant
There is a very strong undercurrent of very upset people backed by many rabbonim in town and by some of the roshei yeshivos that the restrictions put on us to not daven in shul and learn in yeshivos are draconian. If Gov Murphy doesn’t ease up on them soon the social unrest will be a lot worse. The “askonim and politicians should realize this and put an end to this madness. At this point this town has been fully exposed and people should have the right to congregate and daven in a shul. Whoever is scared can stay at home.
Rabonim should go after anyone in that crowd and ostracize them. This is as serious as it gets.
Worst thing I’ve seen ever. My heart still aches. Don’t apologize for these people because they were so wrong even corona excuses won’t help. Certain people need their heads examined.
Yes, Go to Bagel Nosh, purchase the “treats” and bring it to the police station.
Like my parents always said “2 wrongs dont make a right”. Yes something shouldve been done to show the towns hakaras hatov to the police offficers for being there for us all the time. Posting lashon hora is never acceptable EVER!!! The rabbi will have to give answers after meah v’esrim but so will the malshin that wrote this letter.
This news scoop is viral in NJ and way beyond, and public knowledge is not considered Lashon Haroh.
There are some people who read Jewish blogs like TLS, and do not read news that are viral in NJ, or in international news, etc.
So for all of those people, they would never have known about this. So yes it is Lashon Haroh to post this letter here. Ask Rabbi Beer.
The police are not up holding the law what are you talking about, they are breaking the law. an executive order is not law, an EO does not apply to the people an EO only applies to Government agencys the fact the police are enforcing it as law is a very sad state of affairs. we are a free people and no EO can change that. anyone who got a summons for violating the EO it will not hold up in court and the officers involved can be charges with official misconduct a felony
@Avi….those officers were doing their job. GESTAPO…..NAZI….How dare ANYONE say that to ANYONE. Such hate-filled powerful words. THEY ARE WRONG. YOU ARE WRONG. Now you are saying the officers that issue summons can be charged with official misconduct?? Be quiet and maybe you can hear your G-D screaming STOP THE HATE in your ear.
Avi-I’d recommend you take a civics class.
Lakewood is 99.9 percent right
all the hype a little anti …..
What about having a fund for purchasing doughnuts and other treats on a regular basis for those that sit and learn day and night and protect us as we all know…!
@Chaim
Agree!!
I’m ready to take this Initiative to another level. I’m always a big fan of giving the cops their well served appreciation.
Email me @ [email protected]
Anyone else who’d like to join feel free to email as well
חפץ חיים שמירת הלשון כלל ח סעיף יב׳ בענין לשון הרע לדבר בגנות יהודי בפני עכו״ם
Thank you LPD!
I work in a store in town and while we were taking mandatory precautions such as wearing Masks, Gloves etc a Gentleman approaches me and says “Why Bother everyone will get it”….Unfortunately there are quite a few ppl who think like this ……
To Chaim: this is how you get it started. Get in your car, buy donuts and coffee, and bring it to the Police Dept on 3rd Street, and say Thank You!
@Chaim
I do this often
Feel free to email me and maybe we can take this to the next level
(Anyone else that would like to join this initiative feel free to email as well)
[email protected]
To my fellow friends,
Let’s clarify a few things. While the Lakewood police department over all does an amazing job in town and puts up with our way of life & for that we thank and respect them as a community at large. Let’s not forget that the actions of some don’t reflect בני תורה. Also these poor people who behave this way are תינוקות שנשבו במלכות של עשיו. There’s no justification for there actions at all, but the as a Torah Jew we should still be דן לכף זכות. They were locked up in a political shutdown as the president made clear yesterday for two months now and that’s enough to make anyone loose there mind.
The stats posted on the comments are the farthest from truth from a non bias political prospective. Countless testimonies of ICU doctors off the record revel the vast majority of deaths were at the directive if the governor and the stubborn protocols of hospitals that are getting higher payments for Covid deaths. A promising Psychiatrist testified to me last week that he had three suicide cases in the Frum community last week alone, and was threatened that if you did not write them off as coronavirus they would do everything to make sure he loses his license. It would be a lot more productive if we begin fighting to get the real truth that and it would save many more lives than social distancing which currently Many scientists are agreeing May not only be beneficial but actually have a great cost of loss of life due to many factors like those were scared to go to hospitals for things they need done as a result of the paranoia of the media tries to instill in us.
One of the most dishonest things possible or doctors that are in trained for many years and Ivy League schools specializing immunology The voice opinions send out what’s up messages and phone recordings and try to dictate our agenda by manipulating and threatening rabbis. That is the greatest disgrace of gods name and the worst threat Jews have had in history. A pediatrician dermatologist and long list of other unqualified doctors for this area should not be voicing any opinion of any sort because even the top immunologist in the world openly said we don’t know much and they play the game that they do. That’s an egotistic arrogant way of going about a serious sensitive subject.
Our local Roshei Hayeshiva שליט״א are the first we should have respect and הכרת הטוב to for Establishing and building the largest most successful she were in the world by far! Not doing that is the greatest disgrace over I will have very severe confident
Not doing that is the greatest disgrace ever I will have very severe consequences in the upbringing of our children. Reb Chaim Has been quoted very freely and not factually at all on the subject when is clear position currently at least in Israel is the open every Shul & Yeshiva immediately. As his son just told me on the phone the danger of keeping them closed is a lot greater than the danger of this entire virus!
So it’s time to stop being hypocrites! איבה are the expensive houses and cars, not our observance of Torah! When all the doctors that sign letters are willing to sign a letter saying they will move out of their million dollar homes in the simple homes and drive simple cars then we can discuss what causes hate towards Jews!
When are ice cream stores and restaurants shut down preferably permanently then we can prove God where our priorities really lay.
When schools are honest about the funding they have been getting from the government to subsidize tuition instead of harassing parents for money they currently don’t have we may be able to take them seriously.
This is just the tip of the iceberg!
If we are so into following laws as we should be maybe it’s time we unanimously vote that no one will ever get paid off the books under any circumstance whatsoever and no fake loopholes in taxes will be utilized either!
Unfortunately I predict the Lakewood scoop will not publish my comments because it doesn’t fit the agenda but if by any lucky chance there is an ounce of truth left in this world hopefully I will be proven wrong!
Let’s keep Reb Aharon’s legacy alive and stop corrupting it with other agendas!
As a final final thought, I spoke to multiple police officers this morning and none of them feel disrespected in anyway they actually told me they are the most well-paid police officers in the vicinity of many miles and have the easiest job by far because when they pull up to our cars they don’t have to fear for their lives on a hourly basis one even mentioned he spent many years using every contact he had just to have the convenience luxury and privilege to work in Lakewood Police Department!
Finally Some Truth!
1) Our NJ government made a regulation (which was since buried) that every nursing home must take COVID-19 patients into their facilities which caused much of the death and cases in NJ. Death(Half) Cases (25%)
2) The Governor refuses to say how many of new hospitalizations are from nursing homes because then he will be forced to admit that outside of nursing facilities there are very small amount of cases (And this is probably the same in the Jewish community)
3) There are more violations a night in Newark then there are in Lakewood in all time and the overall population in NJ is fed up as much as we are
4) The misinformation of the real risks, such as the elderly, underlying conditions and the risks of spreading outdoors, people with anti body tests are not being conveyed.Instead the people in charge are just giving overall statements of Panic and Fear. This is causing people to go to the opposite extreme and keep nothing as they know that the information is being manipulated. There should be accurate information given out such as the risk of young people (which in Halacha may be insignificant (Ask your Rav) the chance of getting back the disease and the main way people are infected. If there would be accurate information people would be more careful and follow sensible rules.
The arrest of a Rabbi for having a prayer service is a shame. Why are bars open? Why are airlines flying when there are no social distancing?
Shame on NJ! Shame for not supporting the Rabbi
There are no bars open in NJ nor does the State of NJ have any jurisdiction over how many people the airlines can allow onboard. This rabbi knowingly and willingly violated an Executive Order and got what he deserved for doing so. Religion does not put one above the law.
Totally agree with the letter writer. For those that think this is Lashon Hora – there is no mention here of names – so they must be getting their Loshon Hora elsewhere… Additionally for those that do know this ‘Rabbi’ he has been put into Cheirim amongst many wrongful things he has done over the years. So it is L’Toeles that the entire frum and secular community know he is not actually acting in accordance to the Torah.
It is still Lashon Hara on the Klal.
Also many people in Lakewood do not know about it till it is published
Thank you for your this beautiful and eloquently written Letter. Zero bashing. Just straight to the point. Probably the best letter I have ever seen on the Scoop. Thanks!
It seems that many here are unaware of this “rabbi”‘s previous exploits.
He has a long history of sensationalism and provoking any established authority figure, including roshei yeshiva and rabanim.
Some forty rabonim and roshei yeshiva issued a letter declaring his “bais din” invalid about ten years ago.
Two years ago, he himself called the Lakewood Police Department (the Nazis) on a prominent rov here in town because that rov refused to recognize his bais din!
I heard personally from a number of rabonim that he is a habitual liar and “bulvan” who cannot be trusted for anything.
No one considers him a reliable posek for anything.
He is an attention-seeker and a self-obsessed liar and troublemaker.
Enough!
The Lakewood Police did their job correctly.
I was thinking we should write a letter showing our gratitude to LPD . Maybe through change.org?