A group of Hasidic Jews are launching a grassroots effort to extend the new Citi Bike program to Jewish neighborhoods in Brooklyn. The group named ‘Hasidim For Bikes’ was established in response to a recent Daily News article that revealed a gaping void of Citi Bike rental kiosks in the religious section of Williamsburg.
“We were shocked to hear last Memorial Day that there will be a Black Hole in Hasidic Williamsburg; it created a black hole in our hearts,” a representative of Hasidim for Bikes told the Forward. “We decided to create the organization, Hasidim For Bikes. The organization will let our voice be heard, the silent majority of Hasidim.”
The group has a twitter account, a Facebook page and a nation builder website to attract supports for the cause. “Bikes keep us healthy, carry us from point A to point B, save us from high gas prices, and make our roads less congested,” the group writes on its Facebook page. “Bikes fill our lives with adventure and excitement, relaxing our minds and energizing our souls.”
“HasidimForBikes is dedicated to channeling that passion to improve the future of bicycling for Hasidim. Our goal is to unite Hasidim to gather support, to speak with one, powerful voice—to make bicycling more available, more convenient and appealing to Hasidim,” the group explains on its website main page.
We believe that one day #hasidic South Williamsburg will be full of #Hasidim driving #bikesPlease RT if you share our believe!
— Hasidim For Bikes (@HasidimForBikes) June 6, 2013
The challenge is big and the barriers placed ahead of them are still cemented. In Williamsburg, community leaders still remain influential on issue that pertains to the community and neighborhood. When Citi Bike was announced, Hasidic community spokesman Isaac Abraham warned of “civil disobedience” if the kiosks are ever placed too close to where the Satmar Hasidim live, according to the Daily News. “We will put baby carriages there,” Abraham said. “We will make a baby carriage lane.” “They put the racks where they are going to be used,” said Community Board 1 member Simon Weiser. “Look at the Hasidic community. No one rides a bike here.”
But the relativity small group, who wish to remain unidentified in fear of backlash and intimidation, say they are not deterred.
Met 3 men from @hasidimforbikes riding #CitiBike on Myrtle. They said many younger Hasidim want to ride but older leaders reject it #bikeNYC
— Stephen Miller (@miller_stephen) June 12, 2013
Hasidim For Bikes has created an online petition to send to Citi Bike rejecting the misconception that most Hasidim living in Williamsburg do not want to ride bikes. “A few extreme fringe activists are against bikes claiming it’s a non-Jewish thing, but they are also against a lot of things,” a representative told The Forward. “The media just quotes a few extreme leaders. If the community will be polled directly on those issues, you will hear a total different opinion.”
Businessman Baruch Herzfeld, who used to own a Brooklyn bike shop that lent bikes out to Hasidic residents, supports the grassroots cause. “You have to understand, it’s a few hotheads [complaining],” Herzfeld said. “In the city, there’s always a battle over cars and bicycles. When you combine religion, it becomes a bigger stress point. For the most part, the community enjoys bicycles and physical activity. They used my bike program all the time and were very happy with it. The community would love to have this program. They should put it in as quickly as possible.”
Wednesday afternoon, the Citi Bike program was used to advance a mitzvah – for a group of Shomrim members, who were conducting a search for a missing woman, in Williamsburg.
.@yiddishnews Williamsburg: Photo: Shomrim volunteers searching by bike for woman missing twitpic.com/cwvfyk@hasidimforbikes
— Heimishe Solavei Yid (@SolaveiAgent) June 12, 2013
Photo: Doug Gordon
(Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)
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19 Responses
Ummm I’m assuming that ‘Hasidim for Bikes’ is a men only group? or are they comfortable with women riding bikes as well? in williamsburg??
This anonymous group of non-Hasidim, and in fact mostly non-Orthodox, attempting to falsely pretend they are Hasidic are doing so for nothing less than to disturb real Hasidim.
This group is founded and run behind the scenes by aforementioned Baruch Herzfeld, an anti-Hasid antagonist who has previously attempted to force his non-Orthodox views (and who like his so-called rabbi brother pretends to be Orthodox) down real Orthodox Jews’ throughts.
All indications are that this is an organization of one person who has internet and uses Twitter. No names are available and it’s highly doubtful that a large number of Chasidish Williamsburg residents have any interest in the bike program.
Bogen: ‘Throats’??
Check out there facebook page, they have 47 followers, all of them Goyim Gemirim.
We are real Hasidim living in Williamsburg with full Beard and Payos and Shtreimel Bekitcha, frum Orthodox Shomeri Toreh and Mitzves and Pray 3 times a day with a minyen and eat only Heimishe Hashgooches.
We dont want to disrupt real hasidim, we are the real hasidim.
We just simply want our lives to be a little easier.
If we have a Chasuna in Continental Hall that we have to go say Mazel Tov, we dont want to have to take our minivan, look for parking at continental for 30 minutes, or risk getting a ticket for double parking.
We want to be able to finish our Mariv in Satmar Rodney, take a bike from CitiBike, ride the bike down Bedford Ave. to Rutledge St., Dock the bike, go in to the hall for 10 minutes to say Mazel Tov, take a bike again and drive home.
I hope you understand us and Please help us.
Thank you
We are a group of lot of Chassidishe Pepole that want bikes in Williamsburg.
No Names are available meanwhile, because we live in williamsburg and send our kids to schools in williamsburg.
We fear if we reveal our name now (in the beginning) we will get a letter from the school that our kids should not come to school tomorrow because the school is no more fit for our children and our views.
Anyone who voices a slight different opinion then put out by the askunim in williamsburg is seen as a threat to the leadership and the askunim in williamsburg.
We were born in williamsburg, we grew up in williamsburg, our friends and family are all in williamsburg, williamsburg is our home.
We dont want to be thrown out of williamsburg just for wanting to have a bike station to use.
You would be surprised there is a very large number of Chasidish Williamsburg residents that do have a very strong interest in the bike program.
Whoever we talk to says:
1) I dont want to be the first one, I am afraid.
2) There are no bikes available next to my house.
We are trying to make bikes Available, and Unite us, so no one is the first one.
We hope you understand and you will help us.
The poor use of grammer indicates that the Hasidimforbikes was educated in Williamburg, but I very much doubt that a Chossid would ride a bike between chassanas. Can’t he just buy a bike?
We are happy that our poor grammar can be used for good – to show that we are real.
We will ride bikes to chassenes, to vachnacts, and all other simchas that we attend almost every night.
Yes we can buy bikes, but we have such small and crowded apartments, already overcrowded with our double carriages and Bogaboos that we have no space anymore for bikes.
CitiBike Docking stations is a Yeshia Min Hashumayim
Itz komikul how sumwun iz uzieeng splg und gramar miss steaks to try un sownd “hasidic”.
אז אונז וועל מיר שרייבען אין אידיש, וועלן ענק גלייבען אז אונז זעמיר חסידיש
If we would write in hasidc williamsburg yiddish will you believe us that we are real Chasidish?
Now that we established that we are real chasidishe yingeleit, please help us get bikes to williamsburg.
Thank you
to # 7:
Just wondering, I seems from your words that the bike stations you prefer should be one on Rodney and one on Rutledge corner bedford and the third at YOUR home. What if I daven mariv in Clymer and have a chasuna in Imperial??? Will I really need to walk ALL THE WAY ro Rodney to fetch a bike? I think in williamsburg we should fight to be different than the entire city. WE NEED STATIONS AT EVERY CORNER!!! We are lazy good for nothings that can’t afford to walk from Rodney to Rutledge! We need a WHITE hole in williamsburg instead of a BLACK hole. Dont we?…..
Grow up Pal! Our neighboring communities don’t use the bikes for the purpose of traveling 10-15 blocks. They WALK! The whole idea is for longer stretches, for example instead of driving to work by car, and don’t fool yourself, us yidelech aren’t up to this.
It’s just a few aufgeklerteh molemachers who always like to SHOW that we will not let ourselves “chas veshulem” be controlled by these “fanatic” old-timers…
To #14
I am confused are you pro bike stations in Williamsburg or are you anti bike stations in williamsburg?
Just curious…… When you are riding to these weddings will your wives accompany you on their bikes (high heels and long skirts?)
To HasidimForBikes
1) Lapid also just wrote a letter in Yiddish…
2) Because you gave yourself a name in this site, doesn’t mean you are running the campaign. Your just enjoying yourself here
3) You tell me you are confused if I am pro or con. With all due respect It seems to me that you’re confused biklal. It appears to me that the Williamsburg Yungeleit/bochrim who feel as they were “controlled” all their years by these so called “fanatic old-timers” and try to be aufgeklert, are nebech confused don’t know how exactly to do it.
צי איר גלויבן מיר אַז איך בין טשינעעסע
I can use google translate too.
I think the “HasidimForBikes” poster is fake – his grammar, syntax and spelling are too close to standard English.