A Letter to the Lakewood Community:

Yesterday, I visited Judaica Plaza, and as I was leaving, I noticed a minivan with two young children inside. The doors and windows were closed, the ignition was off, and the oldest child appeared to be no older than four years old. There was no adult present with them.

Initially, I felt uncertain about what to do. On one hand, I was reminded of the tragedy from last week, where a child tragically lost their life after being left in a car. On the other hand, the children seemed mobile and capable of opening the door themselves.

I didn’t see the parent or guardian and wasn’t sure which store they had entered. Additionally, I worried that if I went into a store searching for the adult, someone might call the police, and I was uncertain if that would be the right response. After observing the situation for a few minutes (with the hopes someone will come out), and I was unable to stay longer due to prior commitments. I ultimately decided to leave, but my inaction weighed heavily on my mind.

Later, while davening Mincha at Bais Havaad, I spoke with Reb Sholom Kaminetsky and asked for guidance on what to do in a similar situation in the future.
He advised me to call Hatzolah.

This way, the children will be safe, and the appropriate message will be conveyed to the guardian.

I am sharing this for the benefit of our community.

Please do not follow my example of hesitation; instead, do as I was instructed.

Sincerely,
Shimon Weinstein

The views expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Lakewood Alerts. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review.