Tefillin lost on subway?

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  • #592684
    charliehall
    Participant

    A set of tefillin was recovered on the New York City Subway. They are being held at the MTA Lost Property Unit, at the level mezzanine level of the 34th Street Station of the A-C-E lines. Unfortunately the only identification marks are the name of the rabbi who made the tefillin; there is no identification of the owner.

    Their hours are as follows:

    Monday, Tuesday, Friday: 8:00am-3:30pm

    Wednesday and Thursday: 11:00am-6:30pm

    The phone #s are (212) 712-4500, (212) 712-4501, (212) 424-4343 and their internet site is http://lostfound.mtanyct.info/lostfound/.

    You will need to bring a photo ID and be able to say what on subway line you lost them and give the approximate date. The MTA staff contacted the rabbi who made the tefillin and he was unable to help identify the owner. The MTA staff does not want to have to dispose of what they know to be a holy object, so please spread the word to all shuls and yeshivot until they are claimed.

    #703308

    The CR’s really busy, so this moved down quickly.

    Here’s a “bump” to the top, just in case this was missed.

    #703309
    Helpful
    Member

    How long does the MTA hold on to found items? What does it do with it afterwards? And how did you find this out (normally they don’t tell people what they found)?

    #703310
    charliehall
    Participant

    Thanks for bumping this up.

    I found out because I had to go to the MTA lost and found to pick uo some sunglasses I had lost that had been recovered by the bus driver. As I was leaving one of the MTA staffers asked if I could help them by identifying some “Jewish Religious Articles”. I knew before I saw them that she had to be talking about tefillin and that turned out to be the case but she did not even know the word tefillin. I explained how they are used and impressed in her how holy they were — that they are not to be simply disposed of — and also that they cost many hundreds of dollars. They really want to see these back in the hands of the owner. There is a limit as to how long they are permitted to hold on to unclaimed property but they could not tell me how long that is. Please spread the word about this!

    #703311
    bpt
    Participant

    I’m only a few blocks from 8th Ave, so I’ll try and stop by and get a photo, so I can post it here and in shul (and yes, this is also a “bump to the top” post)

    Photo to follow ASAP

    #703312
    bpt
    Participant

    Apparently, this is not as easy it seemed. I tried to get a photo of the tefillin, but was told that I could not see the item if its not mine. (hence, no photo)

    So unless this story gets noticed by the true owner (or gets the involvement of someone really connected) it would appear the tefillin are not going to see the light of day any time soon

    #703313
    WIY
    Member

    BP Totty

    Very sad. Did they say which train they found it on? Time?

    #703314
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    Whoever belongs to a local shul email list, please post this.

    #703315
    bpt
    Participant

    No, they would’nt tell me anything. (sorry)

    Needless to say, MTA employees are not the most talkative breed. Nor accomodating. Looks pretty bleak.

    #703316

    BP Totty

    I’m only a few blocks from 8th Ave, so I’ll try and stop by and get a photo, so I can post it here and in shul (and yes, this is also a “bump to the top” post) Photo to follow ASAP

    Anyway a photo can be pub’ed on YWN CR? A temp email address with the mod/editor monitoring?

    any ideas suggest it to the mods via ://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/i-need-help-with-searching-posting-searching if they take my suggestion of makin it a “sticky”

    #703317
    charliehall
    Participant

    “Asset Recovery” appears to mean that they put it up for sale:

    http://www.mta.info/nyct/materiel/cursales.htm

    #703318
    charliehall
    Participant

    They would not tell me when it was lost or on what line. I’m actually stunned they let me examine them at all. They may have been violating regs to do even that.

    #703319
    WIY
    Member

    I think we should all print out the info charlie put on the top and put the papers in our respective shuls. What do you think?

    #703320
    d a
    Member

    Can one of you very talented, helpful mods correct Shouldnt be here‘s link (HERE). You need to delete the space between via and : and put a space between : and //www.

    It should look like this:

    via: //www.

    and not

    via ://www.

    (or you can just make it a link…)

    Thanks!!!

    You can delete this post.

    #703322
    L613
    Member

    My suggestion is that someone should go and claim it ASAP (even if it doesn’t belong to you – I mean how hard can it be to claim tefillin?), and then bring it to the New Square Hashavas Aveida organization. That way, we know it’s in safe, Jewish hands and will not be risked being disposed of in an unacceptable way. And they will try and find the owner.

    I would go myself, but I think someone who actually works/lives in that neighborhood should go.

    #703323
    charliehall
    Participant

    WellInformedYid,

    That is an excellent idea; I just emailed the four largest shuls in my neighborhood; each has a printed bulletin and an email list.

    #703324
    d a
    Member

    L613, I don’t think its that simple. To claim it, they will ask you many questions. Where you lost it? What train line? What time of day? Any special signs on them?

    And if they catch you lieing, it may look like Yidden lie.

    #703325
    WIY
    Member

    L613

    You will need to bring a photo ID and be able to say what on subway line you lost them and give the approximate date.

    So that will be a problem. We need a mocher to get involved. For now I suggest everyone printing out copies of Charlie Halls first post and distributing it in his shul or shuls he davens in, or yeshivah.

    #703326
    WIY
    Member

    charliehall

    Thanks. Good, thats a good start, hopefully it will lead to something. I will IY”H print it out and put them on tables in shul tomorrow.

    #703327
    Ben Torah
    Participant

    Perhaps Dov Hikind or David Greenfield can have some “pull” with the MTA to transfer this to a shul until the owner is located.

    #703328
    Homeowner
    Member

    In the event the MTA puts the tefillin up for sale, could we take up a collection here (of course, under the Yeshiva World supervision) to buy the tefillin?

    Then, after a suitable period (whatever the psak halacha is), if they are still unclaimed, perhaps they can go to a poor Jew who needs a new pair of tefillin or to a yeshiva as a “spare pair.”

    #703329
    Ben Torah
    Participant

    Another lesson learned (the hard way) here…

    Right now make sure your Talis and Tefilin bags are labeled with your name and phone numbers.

    #703330
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    It’s possible that these tefillin were stolen (anywhere) and discarded by the thief on the subway, in which case the owner would have no way to identify which line they were on.

    #703331
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    BUMP!

    #703332
    charliehall
    Participant

    I like Homeowner’s idea. But hopefully the real owner will appear.

    #703333
    WolfishMusings
    Participant

    Right now make sure your Talis and Tefilin bags are labeled with your name and phone numbers.

    Heh. Mine has all that — and my email address.

    I even started putting my email address (along with my name) on the inside covers of new seforim that I buy.

    The Wolf

    #703334
    WolfishMusings
    Participant

    It’s possible that these tefillin were stolen (anywhere) and discarded by the thief on the subway, in which case the owner would have no way to identify which line they were on.

    Possible, but far more likely that they were simply lost.

    The Wolf

    #703335
    WIY
    Member

    Charliehall

    There’s something I don’t understand, where was the Rabbis identification with this Tefillin? There was a tag or card?

    Is it a brand new pair of Tefillin?

    I just had a thought, maybe it belongs to a Lebavitcher shliach, one of those guys that offers to put tefillin on people. Some of those guys even operate in subway stations. Either way, it is quite possible that it belongs to such a person. That’s why it didn’t have a name because it may not be his personal pair of tefillin, just one that he uses for this purpose.

    #703336
    charliehall
    Participant

    The rabbi’s identification was ON the tefillin. The tefillin looked new or nearly new.

    #703337
    WIY
    Member

    charliehall

    What does that mean ON the Tefillin? On how? In what way on what part?

    #703338
    charliehall
    Participant

    There was a label glued to the outside of the tefillin box that had the name and address of the rabbi/sofer.

    #703339
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    Wolf,

    I have no idea what the odds are that they were stolen as opposed to left on the subway; my point is that this should be publicized to anyone who lost his tefillin anywhere because it is a possibility.

    #703340
    WIY
    Member

    Charliehall

    Oh I gotcha. So he doesnt keep records of who he sells to? Isnt that odd? Its a newish pair as you said so its gotta be someone who bought it recently right?

    #703341
    minyan gal
    Member

    WIY: The owner of the Tefillin may not have purchased them directly from the sofer. They may have been purchased from a Judaica shop or been a gift.

    #703342

    Mi Keamcha Yisroel!

    Its unreal how when it comes to a mitzvah, everyone unites no matter how different we are. (and boy are we different as is clear from almost every other thread in the CR)

    #703343
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    Some sofrim put on a sticker when they check tefillin. It would make more sense, then, that there are no records.

    #703344
    Ben Torah
    Participant

    If it is so new, the owner may be a young Bar Mitzvah bochor.

    #703345
    charliehall
    Participant

    whatrutalkingabt,

    Thanks! This is the first thread I’ve ever started here on YWN.

    #703346
    minyan gal
    Member

    “everyone unites no matter how different we are”

    whatrutalkingabt: You are absolutely right, because no matter where we daven, as Yidden we are committed to mitzvot. Most of us try to do the right thing. As a people we are known for our warmth ,generosity and good deeds and though we may agree to disagree on many topics, we will always unite for a good cause or to fight a mutual enemy. Shabbat Shalom.

    #703347
    WIY
    Member

    Minyan gal

    Touching words. Thanks.

    #703348
    charliehall
    Participant

    bump!

    #703349

    BUMP

    WIY So he doesnt keep records of who he sells to? Isnt that odd? Pray tell WHY ?

    #703351
    WIY
    Member

    Shouldnt be here

    Usually businesses keep records of what they sell and to whom especially when it is expensive items. I don’t know how many pairs of tefillin a sofer sells a year but I don’t think its that many I would think he would have some record of it.

    #703352
    WIY
    Member

    charliehall

    How are we going to know if the Tefillin have been retrieved by the owner?

    #703353
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    WIY,

    I agree that it would be odd not to know who he sold it to, but if he only checked them, it would make more sense.

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