3:00PM EST: [UPDATE BELOW] With the situation in Gaza deteriorating by the day, and anti-semitism rampant around the world, thousands of NY Jews were frightened upon receiving the following text message which has been going around on Friday afternoon:
“A Jewish woman gave a tip to a Muslim taxi driver and out of appreciation he warned her not to go to Manhattan next week Wednesday.”
YWN has reached out to high-ranking members of the NYPD, and have stated that although they received the same text message, “there are no credible threats to be concerned about – and don’t even know where this text message originated from”.
The only message that they do have for the public is the same message that they have been saying since 9/11. That message is “always be aware of your surroundings, be vigilant, and if you see anything suspicious contact the police department immediately to report what you have seen”.
UPDATE 3:50PM EST: YWN has just spoken with NYS Assemblyman Dov Hikind who tells us that he has received various reports regarding this ‘threat’ and has personally contacted the FBI who is currently investigating them.
He thanked YWN for our alert to calm the public, and echoed the call for calm and vigilance at anytime and any location. “If you see something, say something,” Hikind said.
“The FBI and the NYPD take these types of threats very seriously, and investigate them thoroughly to ensure the safety of the public.”
May Hashem protect us from no harm – no matter where in the world we are located.
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(Yehuda Drudgestein – YWN)
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17 Responses
This is ridiculous. Nobody would blow an operation like that- because of a tip that he has received?
I think this is ridiculous and someone’s idea of a joke. it is not worth people’s time to make them scared into thinking someone is going to do something.
As you may be able to see from the following link, this is a complete lie, which has been passed around in many different forms for years. http://www.snopes.com/rumors/warning.asp
Raise your hand if you remember this same stupidity after 9/11. There was every incarnation of the story imaginable, with the same ending…some arab told a woman [fill in the blanks why…..tip, help, hire……] not to go the malls next Tuesday.
I dont doubt that someone could’ve said it, but its nonsense, total nonsense.
YEP GOT IT TOO..people will pass on text messages even if they dont know its origin.
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/text-message-warning
but it is freaky!!
Here is the follow up txt message I got:
.
Fwd: BREAKING NEWS: That Muslim taxi driver has just been arrested and charged with DWI.
for all those who think there is no source to this story, i know the person who was in the taxi!!! of course the arab driver could have made up the whole thing but he definitely told this lady that something is happening on Jan 7th! i hope too that it is just a rumor!
A MUSLIM WOMEN TIPED A JEWISH TAXI DRIVER OUT OF APPRECIATION HE TOLD HER NOT TO GO TO GAZA FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS BECAUSE THE IDF WILL BE DOING MAJOR DEMOLITION THERE. AND THATS THE REAL STORY
How about arresting the driver and see is he is a fake or real.
Lemaaseh, what is the true story?! The real version?!
I got this email last week….
“””this is gonna sound crazy… don’t have to believe it or anything but its a
crazy thing
my sisters friend Elizabeth her cousin is an interior designer
and she has a worker that like goes around the city and gets stuff from
different stores
so she was using the same cab the whole day to go around the city
and it was this Iranian guy and she got friendly with him
and he goes to her you know you’re the first American that was ever nice to
me
and she goes really?
and he goes yea… and because of that I’m going to do you a big favor
and tell you to stay out of the city on January 7th
The FBI & Homeland Security has been notified.”””
I dunno if it is legit or not ….. the cab driver is probably wrong and hopefully is, but I can tell you that the story about the cab is true.
A few days ago, someone relayed this story to a conected friend, 3 minutes after they hung up with the friend they got a call from Dov Hikind, and then from The Lt. from the NYPD who then contacted the original source of this story. It seems the FBI was already aware of this story from the start.
Everyone should try to Learn, Daven and say Tehillim for all Jews all over the world. We need Hashems help. May it be his will that all jews everywhere will stay safe. Its is so important for us to daven and say tehillim for the situation in EY.
Also Member: bitachoncoaching wrote in coffe room, “””I personally know the girl that this happened to…she was in a taxi and the driver started to talk to her he mentioned he was from iran. he saw she was dark skinned (sfardi) and assumed she was arab. they spoke. as they were talking he was openly anti america/ semitic etc…she plugged in info from his medalion on to her blackberry. when she arrived at her destination she gave he a nice tip and he told her you seem nice stay out of nyc on january 7th. she then took down his plate number and cabbie company and called the fbi. so…it’s true but it could be he wanted to scare her. in these situations better to err on the side of caution. lets just pray for the best here and in e’y shavua tov. “””
Bottom Line; Say Tehillim as much as you can for the Jewish People In Eretz Yisrael
As for the cab story …..I dunno if it is legit or not but why take a chance… If YOU CAN STAY OUT OF THE CITY ON JANUARY 7th & TELL ALL YOU KNOW!!! we can all use a day of learning
True or not, we are definitely in a time of serious danger. The war in Israel is a definite “justification” for the animals to do something stupid.
That being said, it is critical for people to be vigilant, and definitely complacent. As the saying goes, “if it looks suspicious, it most likely is”. In that vein:
If you see:
* someone hanging around where they obviously don’t belong, and clearly have no reason being there;
* someone taking pictures of places such as shuls, schools, community centers, specifically of police or fire apparatus, of police or security checkpoints;
* someone asking too many pointed or even not so pointed questions, but it seems odd.
* Someone who is wearing inappropriate clothing for the weather, or someone who appears to be wearing TOO much clothing, or bulky items protruding from under a coat
* a back pack or other item (even a stroller or wheelchair) that is in a weird place, or looks suspicious.
* anything else that peaks your interest;
immediately call 911 and your local security group. No one should ever be bashful to call 911 or think it is foolish. The worst that will happen is that they will thank you for being concerned.
Duvd’l
Yes, because the intelligence communities around the world know nothing about this but a big mouthed taxi driver knows it and is willing to give up all his secret info for a 5 dollar tip.
The stupidity of the “email forwarding” culture we find ourselves in is astounding.
http://www.snopes.com/rumors/warning.asp
I don’t know it might be true it might not but it doesn’t hurt to be safe then sorry!!