Religious Jewish residents of Stuyvesant Town yesterday complained to the owners that a planned electronic key-card system would lock them out on the Shabbos and Yomim Tovim.
The new access method – which is already in place and causing similar headaches at nearby Peter Cooper Village – is set to replace all traditional keyholes in the complex .
As early as next week, occupants would have to swipe an ID containing their personal information to enter their buildings.
Problem is, observant Jews are forbidden from using such technology on Shabbos.
“They are making us prisoners in our own homes,” said Jeannette Shuck, 67, who has lived in Stuy Town for more than 25 years.
“What do they want us to do? It’s not like we can go somewhere else. It’s our home.”
She said she began a letter-writing campaign over a year ago to the building’s management company.
That’s when the newfangled system was implemented at Peter Cooper Village – and she began hearing horror stories from other Orthodox friends who were stranded outside for more than 30 minutes waiting for someone to let them in.
“I write to them and months and months later they’ll write back,” she said.
But nothing was done.
When The NY Post contacted a spokesman for new Stuy Town owner Tishman Speyer, he said that they had just learned of the problem and had decided to give residents of both Stuy Town and Peter Cooper old-fashioned keys during Shabbos.
“They really are sensitive to the religious needs of the community,” said Tishman Speyer spokesman Howard Rubenstein.
Which came as good news to the dozens of Orthodox families, who previously had to schlep over to the manned security booths and ask a guard to let them in every Shabbos.
Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn), who has worked alongside the community trying to resolve the issue, said he is delighted that the end is in sight for the aggrieved tenants.
“This has been going on for over a year with no results,” he said. “If this is correct, I am thrilled.”
(Source: NY Post)
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7 Responses
Mere coincidence? Doubtful. According to aish.com, yesterday — 16 Adar — in the year 1656, Governor Peter Stuyvesant of New Amsterdam refused to grant the Jews permission to build a synagogue. Stuyvesant was infamous for his anti-Semitism. In 1654 he wrote: “The Jews who have arrived would nearly all like to remain here, but… [we have] deemed it useful to require them in a friendly way to depart… that the deceitful race — such hateful enemies and blasphemers of the name of Christ — not be allowed further to infect and trouble this new colony.” Jews were spared eviction because the Dutch West Indian Company was heavily dependent on Jewish investments. Stuyvesant contented himself with subjecting the Jews to indignities: He denied them the right to serve in the military and forced them to pay extra taxes. As for Stuyvesant’s refusal to allow a synagogue, history would take revenge:
On this same date in 1897, Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary was incorporated as America’s first Orthodox Jewish rabbinical seminary.
And now, the neighborhood bearing his name, threatens to lock its Jews out of their houses on Shabbos..
Hmmmm, apparantly the ‘Medinah Shel Chesed’ has a reputation thats a bit overrated!
nameless:
definitely overrated bet you prefer the places that didn’t have a problem with Jews getting locked in or out on shabbos.
they were kicked out already during the week and locks were unnecessary because the goyim would break in to kill them.
nameless:
America is called a medina shel chesed, compared to Europe where anti-semitic outbreaks occur very frequently even these days (forget pre-War which was FAR FAR worse.)
nameless and Williamsbogen… I don’t believe that there was ever a country in history that was as great a medinah shel chessed as this one. Yes, many tolerated us, even allowed us to grow. But our government, albeit as part of a lrger picture, actually helps and fosters the growth of our insiitutions and bnei Torah.
I never denied that Europe was worst. ALL I am saying is that this story is not consistent with the America that Tolerates Freedom of Religion…..
nameless: We are still in golus, even in this medina shel chesed. One does not contradict the other.