The following information was submitted to Yeshivaworld: This past Shabbos, three boys were assaulted by black teenagers in the Cleveland Heights area (on S. Taylor Rd) in two separate incidents. There was one sixth grader assaulted in front of K’hal Yereim in the morning, and two tenth grade boys who were walking in a group of four; were assaulted in the late afternoon.
YW has contacted it’s sources in Cleveland (a prominent member of the Cleveland Heights Jewish Community) who wrote the following: It should be noted that the Jewish and black communities have continued to coexist peacefully for decades; and Cleveland Hts. Police Chief Martin Lentz is a friend of the Jewish community and will closely monitor the situation.
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24 Responses
I’ve been to Cleve. Hgts many times, and I must say, it’s a disguisting neighborhood (the non-Yiddish element that roams that streets, that is).
I’ve seen those animals lounging at the steps of the local boy’s yeshiva, and elsewhere where frumme & ehrliche Yidden live.
It is not a surprise to me that this happened. Hashem Yerachem – I hope the bochurim are OK.
Rabboysai, we’re still in golus, even though we have “locked” our communities and neighborhoods.
KITZUR_DOT_NET:
I’ve been to Cleveland Heights many more times.
I am sorry that this happened. It could happen anywhere.
I am actually surprised it happened. I find that the Jews and
the black community live harmoniously and and everyone is friendly
to one another. It is not a disgusting neighborhood. While
it may not port wealthy homes. All the homes and lawns are
maintained and neat looking. It’s too bad, you didn’t take better notice of
the wonderful, haimeshe people that live there and the excellent middos
they have. It is a wonderful place to raise children. Unfortunately it is
far away from most family.
saychel: I said:
“It’s a disguisting neighborhood (the non-Yiddishe element that roams the streets, that is).
Chalila, I made NO remarks at the Yidden who live there – I have many friends who live in Cleveland, and I respect that numerous great Talmidei Chachom who live there.
Please don’t misunderstand what I was getting at.
And where I live in Detroit, we’ve had similar incidents. It’s possible that since the Yidden in Detroit live in the suburbs, the neighborhoods here are a drop cleaner (again, the people who roam the streets).
I wonder which Cleveland Heights “kitzur” was in.B”h there are very,very few instances of any trouble.I have never seen anybody lounging on the steps of any buildings in this area.
Now if you want to describe a sorry situation-what about living in ones $700,000 house in various New york areas with apartments whose dwellers are not of the highest morals or behavior living next door.With garbage piling up on the curbs.
That is “Hashem Yirachem”
Kitzur………I don’t know who you are but I cannot read your comment without replying. I lived in the heights for over 10 years. We have peacefully co-existed with all our neighbors on the block… yes the non jews be it that they were white or black. As a matter of fact our (black) next door neighbor was a very fine respectful and upstanding citizen. We got along very well as a matter of fact our kids played together OOOOOHHH How could I let that happen?
From my experience I think it might be time for the “FRUM” people who live in the Heights, to take a minute and think why this might be happening. Could it be that there is a lack of “bein odom l’chaveiro”? Could it be that there are 4 stores and 6 hechsheirim? Or maybe it could be “people” ignoring the problems (of abuse and teens at risk) hoping that it goes away. And I quote”THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ABUSE IN THE FRUM COMMUNITY IN CLEVELAND” I heard this straight from a revered “RABBI” in cleveland heights. So not that I want to spit in the well I once drank from
and I am truly sorry that such a terrible thing has happened…. but Raboisai I ask but one thing take a minute to reflect and see how you can help this matzav in the heights
If the boys had been attacked by white shkotzim,would that have made a difference? Bad people are bad,good people are not. We’re in golus,remember? We must strengthen our midos,mitzvah observance,and tefillos when we hear of these events. Hashem is our protector!
Just to clarify some more of frumamaidel’s Motzi Shem Roh, there are 15 establishments in the city requiring hechsherim, which are covered by 2 Hashgochos.
Will everyone calm down, why are people so shocked of somethin like this happening? There was no violence or any thing anti semitic. it was just a bunch of teenage hooligans bored. cleveland hts is a fine place and things like this happen very rarely. it makes no difference if they were black or white.
Allright yehudi chatasi I will admit that since I’ve been gone for quite a few years the kashrus situation obviously must have somewhat changed. However since there was no rebuttle on the bein adom l’chaveiro or the abuse and teens at risk obviously you must be in agreement that something has to be done about this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i hope the police catch them
In reference to your Cleveland heights story, I would like to add the following comment.
As a resident of Cleveland Heights, I can attest that Cleveland Heights , Ohio is one of the most
responsive and sensitive cities in the country when it pertains to the orthodox yeshiva community.
We are privy to some of the best city services available. The city is especially sensitive to our
needs in regards to Yomim Tovim and our life style. It is unfortunate that this story was put out
before Cleveland Heights had an opportunity to respond and act. We are living in a world that,
unfortunately, has many such stories. Where in today’s world is there a city that is exempt from
these incidents? We have a police department that responds immediately to any call. Cleveland
Heights has a beautiful Torah community that is the envy of many other communities. The fact is
that we are in Golus and have to live in mixed communities. These incidents are very isolated and
when they happen it is taken very seriously by the City Government of Cleveland Heights.
Your quote by a prominent member of the Cleveland Heights Jewish Community, who also was
born in this area, is very accurate.
Sruly Wolf
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
First of all, let’s get the story straight.
There was one incident, NOT two!! A sixth grade boy was on his way to Mincha. Two teenage colored boys were riding on one bike past this sixth grader in front of K’hal Yereim. One of these colored guys got off the bike seemingly making a fist and making some comment.
A ninth and tenth grader saw this. One of them approached the shvartza and said something like “if you hit him I’ll hurt you.” Upon being threatened, the shvartza slapped the sixth grader on the face and then one of the teenagers. He then fled.
This is the account of eyewittnesses.
I know it is not as exciting as Y.W.’s story, but that is what happenned. This could and does happen anywhere. In New York this story would not even make the news. No Hatzoloh! No Shomrim! No injuries!! Just a red face!!
But in quiet Cleveland, this incident was big news. Things like this don’t usually happen. Usually our colored neighbors will plow our walks in the winter and help us with our lawns in the summer!! Even something this small is out of the ordinary.
frumamaidel: I’m sorry you are so bitter. But anybody who has ever spent any time in Cleveland Heights will tell you that the bein odom lichaveiro is just amazing!! People come from all over the world for Bikur Cholim and everyone gets treated like a king. There are people cooking, baking and running to hospitals all week and all the way up to Shabbos helping out total strangers in their time of need.
There is probably no place in the U.S., and according to some guests in the entire world with so many people happily dedicated to chessed, doing everything with a genuine smile.
Everyone here knows each other and cares for each other. When you walk down the streets on Shabbos, everyone greets each other with a warm “Good Shabbos.” There are people who make sure that every child is able to go to summer camps, even if they would not be able to afford it. There is a Mattan Bisayser making sure every family has food on their table and can pay their bills. It goes on and on.
I don’t think Bain Odom L’chavairo is the weak point here.
And about the teens at risk…Do you know what you are talking about? The percentage here in Cleveland Heights of teens at risk is far lower then almost any frum community. Bli Ayin Horah. And whatever there is, it is not being ignored. Rabonim and Mechanchim are very involved in each and every person here.
About the abuse…I know nothing about it. I for sure have not heard of anything around here!!
I’m sorry you are so bitter. But maybe it is because you let your kids play with the shvartzas next door!! That’s not a good idea at all!! Becoming too friendly with your goyishe neighbors is not very good chinuch habonim. And it obviously had an adverse effect on you too! I hopo you feel better soon!!
I think that Beachwood is the place to be, if you are going to live in that state.
It’s fortunate that YW Editor didn’t print my response to your misplaced negativity to the unbelievably wonderful members of that community. I suspect that even if I would respond using different words I’d be censored out as well.
Ditto to everything Rabbi Wolf said. As always he has communicated our message accurately and POLITELY (I don’t know how he does that). Thank You for everything you do.
Sruly,
You de man!!!
I think that Beachwood is the place to be, if you are going to live in that state.
That is too general a statement.
There are different communities for different peopple. this is not 100% but if you are more on the yeshivishe side of the track you live in Cleveland Heights. The more Baal habatishe olam lives in Beachwood. Not to say that you dont have yeshivishe people in beachwood or baal Habatishe people in Cleveland heights. I am a long time clevelander and can honestly say that both communities are incredible makom torahs. (telz is a third) Everybody lives in shalom and everyone knows everyone from both communities. Not a community like it in America!! Nebach this had to happen in such a great place.
And by the way I want to add that i also never saw any goyim hanging out by any steps anywhere.
debby, I’m SOOOOO jealous! I WISH I had followed through with my heart’s desire 20 years ago to raise our mishpacha in ha’aretz. B”H, we’ve done beautifully, but our kids, esp. the Bais Yaakov students, are turning out WAY TOO golus-dik with their cravings for “stuff” and their self-conscious fashions. Of course there’s GREAT Torah being accomplished here, and golus Yidden are serving a holy purpose too. Still, the air of spirituality and tzidkus is thin here — and though I expect many will find your letter pompous and superior, I am writing to say that you and other olim among you are a special kind of national hero in my book —
I am a Cleveland Heights resident and I want to make this perfectly clear… The black teenagers in the area of have hurling racial and antisemetic slurs at us for the past four to six months. The physical assault is only the natural progression in what I am most positive will continue to escalate if not checked RIGHT NOW! The black teenagers were in fact race baiting their victims with racial and antisemetic remarks prior to the assualts.
Dear anonymous, You really should get your facts right.
There were in fact two, YES TWO (2) assults.
Two black teeanagers, one fat and riding a bike and one thin and walking. These and lets call a spade a spade, spades assulted two tenth grade bochrim walking in a group of four bochrim while they were on their way to Mincha. They were heading to Taylor Rd Synagoge which is about a quarter mike soth of the incident with the sixth grader. This may be the first of the physical assaults, but is by no means the last. The actions and intentions of the young black, african american, has been made clearly evedent to the residents of Cleveland Heights over the last four to six months. Mark my words this is just the begging.
Okay, I surrender some of my anonymity. I too am a resident of this wonderful kehilla.
First, for anyone out of town (yes, dear New Yorkers, to us, you’re out of town), it’s true that this is a wonderful place to raise a Torah family. Chesed is with little parallel and Torah is very strong here.
Kids at risk? There are problems everywhere, but bli ayin hara, it’s relatively speaking very good here. Cleveland Heights has a great combination of frum and “normal” – generally speaking the boys are warm, normal, and they learn during bein hazmanin. Also, no one mentioned that we are blessed with several world class talmidei chachamim. I won’t list them for fear of offending if I leave anyone out, but there is not a lack of Daas Torah here, Baruch Hashem.
As for the issues with the blacks, I’m afraid that AM Yisroel Chai is at least partially correct. My son was with two other young boys (all around 8) when they were confronted by a group of boys around 10. There was no violence, Baruch Hashem, but one of the questions that these hoodlums-in-training asked one of the boys was, “Do you like having a hand?” It was neither meant as a way of teaching him to be appreciative nor was it philosophical. Most of the 10 year old Cleveland hoodlums are more influenced by Snoop Dogg than by either Socrates or l’havdil elef havdalas, Rabbi Miller ztz’l.
The police were notified, and as Rabbi Wolf noted above, the police here are wonderful. They were quick to tell everyone to stay on top of these incidents and to call if there are any issues. You can see from this, by the way, that these incidents are out of the ordinary. Imagine one of Brooklyn’s finest being told that such a comment was made. I don’t imagine most would do much other than laugh.
As to the “hanging” out on the stairs, it could be that the person was referring to people waiting for a bus by the stairs of Shomrei Shabbos. I’ve seen it many times, but these are usually not hoodlum types. They don’t take the bus. As a general rule, the blacks here on our streets are very good goyisha neighbors. There are exceptions, and there are unwanted visitors from other blocks.
AM Yisroel Chai, perhaps words like, “Mark my words this is just the begging (sic)” are too prophet-of-doom like. Take precaution wherever possible and don’t tell us all about what you knew all along. It would be good to be wrong.
Also, AM Yisroel Chai, by “calling a spade a spade,” just curious what you would say if one of the holy members of our community whose skin color is “spade-like” would read this? “Oh, of course, they are Jews. Yadayada.”
The feelings of the black Jews in our community and all communities should not be so quick to be ignored. I am not calling you a racist. You are probably not a racist. Every person with any sechel can’t stand the black culture in Cleveland, but we should be more careful with our language. I just feel that need to point out that this type of language can be very hurtful to Jews. Jews, by the way, who have displayed more mesiras nefesh than most of us will ever know. Let’s be more careful.
I remeber when we had to carry baseball bats and walk in groups to get to and from the dorm and yeshivah. There was many a day when fights broke out and the Bais Medrash would have to empty to protect those under assault. I would not be surprised if those days are returning. Our community has to be ready to deend itself, as police departments nationwide seem to feel “their” Jewish communities don’t need protection.
Rap music deifies those who attack us and the “establishment”. We should head the warning signs and be prepared. Also, look at sharpton, jackson and farrakahn. They would like nothing better then all out bloody attacks on Jews.
Thank you, Reb Bishuk, for your remarks directed to remind Jews of possibly hurtful remarks. Your words are so much appreciated. I pray that Jews remember that our Creator made all shades of skin, all are beautiful, and it is unbecoming of Jews to make hurtful remarks based on skin color. What colors are our Neshamos?