By COLlive reporter
The ‘Shabbos alarm’ which alerts residents of the Crown Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn that it’s candle lighting time each Friday evening, is out of order.
Many underground electrical cables have failed due to snowstorms in New York City’s second-snowiest February on record, and heavy use of salt to melt snow and ice on the roads.
“Until Con Edison can replace or repair the cables, the Shabbos alarm will not be operational,” Rabbi Mendel Goldstein informed COLlive of his volunteer siren that sounds off twice on Shabbos eve.
Residents are advised to be aware of weekly candle lighting times and not rely on the siren, which normally rings each Friday 15 minutes before and 2 minutes before candle lighting times.
This winter has been the seventh snowiest on record in New York City, with 57.1 inches of accumulation in Central Park, NBC reported. The city’s all-winter record for snowfall is 75 inches, set during the 1995-96 winter.
Just how hard is it for you people to keep track of when Shabbos comes in ?
does this mean that the flower stand on crown and kingston will be open later than usual?
feeling lost…
I LIVE IN A PLACE THAT DOESNT HAVE A BOMB ALARM AND I START SHABBOS ON TIME. woah. I know. Hard to believe. Mark me in the history books.
I heard the siren when I was 14 and in Crown Heights for the first time for 22 shevat girls convention. I still remember the excitement and awe I felt. Here in America, an entire community is anticipating shabbos! I love the Siren. I really do! It fills me with such a Jewish pride. Thank you!
is as much a personal responsibility as it is a communal one.
EVERYONE must know when the time of licht bentchen is, and NOT rely on sirens and alarms.
This is, derech agav, the major problem with tznius also!
We rely on the “sirens & alarms” of everyone else – to alert us that something is wrong – and if we don’t hear the “siren” then it’s okay?! We need to have our OWN sirens telling us to be aware of dangers.
Get a car with a loudspeaker over it just until the alarm is up again …. “Calling all Klal yisroel….. (Instead of an auction it can be about Shabbos) 15 minutes to lighting . A gutten Shabbos to all “
I want to take this opportunity to thank my older brother and best next door neighbor Reb Sholom Ber for always being available and helping out when technical or electrical problems arise with the computerized Shabbos Alarm timer. May we be zoche to hear the greatest alarm announcing the Geula Shleimah – The ultimate Kol Shofar 😉
were i live the fire department uses a alarm like this every time theres a fire
go some place where where you wont hear it like Iran, Egypt, and …………..N.J.
We are not the only ones living in the neighbor. I never needed this alarm, I have my own.
Please sing “Just one shabbos “…….
Con Edison was here today with inspector , will starting work shortly , weather permitting .
SING JUST ONE SHABBOS ” and it will be soon !
Please replace for a louder one which can be heard where I live 7 miles away. thank you!
I think how lucky u guys are that u hav a Shabos alarm! Such Achdus for the Yidden!
I will miss the alarm because it reminds me of the last minute things that I have to do before shabbos, but it will be nice if they had music go off instead of the alarm
The noise is loud but lasts a very short time
Is a loud reminder that Shabbos is coming ,
and that Shabbos is here . It is much appreciated in our household . Thank you !
it very interesting that a chabad website post something that the rambam discuses in this weeks rambam and there is only one mention of it. where is the koch in the rebbes takona
Live by Troy and I never hear it anyway…
How shtetl and warm that can feel!
Kfar Chabad Plays Avraham Fried’s “Lecha Dodi”- gorgoues!
Love the Shabbos alam in CH- thank you!
A Shlucha told me that that one of the teenagers they brought to Crown Heights said hearing the Shabbos Alarm was one of the highlights of her weekend !!
To those who are so terribly disturbed by the ‘Shabbos Alarm’ and don’t appreciate the good will of an individual who of his own accord has done something to enhance the vibe of Shabbos in our Community. I am happy to provide you with a Free Pair Of Ear Plugs. Just send me a note to the address listed below.
Perpetual Complainers & Sourfaces
1000 Percent Cir
Thankless, Giving 00000
PS: Thank you Mendel Goldstein from all those who at one time or another where spared from Chilul Shabbos as they lost track of time on a hectic Erev Shabbos.
However, this notice should have been posted LAST WEEK – Before any potential Chilul Shabbos could have happened (because people do rely on it).
It’s a siren to wake up and alert our Neshama’s army that the battle for a beautiful Shabbos begins and the spoils of the week are left behind.I enjoy hearing the alarm in Jerusalem and in Crown Heights… if only all Jewish communities could have such a sound that begins the silence of the Sabbath -David Nesenoff
People are such losers, always find something to complain about!
Mendel Goldstein thank you I know the siren takes lots of your time tests and time settings I wait for that sound because when that sound goes off I know the Holy shabbat is coming
Thank you Rabbi Goldstein for all your efforts to help us keep track of Shabbos. No-on should take this mitzvah he does, for granted. Yasher koach!!
This weeks rambam speaks about shabbos alarm
i think its a beautiful jewish thing that as a big community
we do. we do it , eretz yisrael does it, its what we get from living
somewhere sp vibrantly jewish. i will miss it.
In North London, the alarm has been changed many years ago to play Heimishe Chassidishe Music instead.
It is high time that Crown Heights adopted this.
It has long irritated me that the timing is not consistent. Sometimes the 2nd alarm is before 2 minutes – and that leaves the possibility for people to consider it is always early and they have more time than they think.
When guests who are not frum, or for that matter even if they are, come to visit ch, they are always terrified and nervous something bad is happening. #awkward
Can’t you READ?? Personal responsibilty??? It is WEATHER RELATED. What do you want him to do, go down & fix the cables himself? Rig up something else in a couple of days! Such ungrateful, self centered people. You all know about it – YOUR “personal responsibility” should be to remind your neighbors, inform people you know, & set your own alarm on your cell phone.
Rabbi Goldstein, the alarm might be raucous, but it’s a great service. Thank you!
Whether you like how it sounds or not it’s a Din in Shulchan Aruch that the community must have someone go around b4 shabbos to remind ppl to get redy for shabbos and close up shop.
Why not have your own personal alarm in your house.
it always reminded me of war and the fact that enemy is in our air space go to a shelter right away. they should put a nice music by mordechai ben david to bring joy for shabbot.
To #16 in the book it doest say scare people and bring up bad memories besides that was a sound of shofar if I remember correctly there was no electricity beck then.
The Siren is essential to CH Jewish life…it creates a special energy around the holiness of Shabbos and its importance.,.Shomer Shabbos Jews living in non-Jewish places can tell you what a Friday afternoon feels like when there is “no madness”…
The sounding of an alarm to announce the arrival of Shabbos has been Minhag Yisroel since ancient times! Go open a sefer and you will see.
if the siren bothers you, then, please sponsor a “Musical alarm” which will play Shabbosdike nigunim instead!
the alarm is really helpful.
to all those who say it make ch sound like war time – i’ve never even thought of that. i associate this sound with the fact that shabbas is coming and i need to do my last minute things. as people, we tend to lose track of time and this alarm is extremely helpful.
thank you so much!!
BS”D heads up geniuses-after it did not go off last Shabbos everyone is on alert to a problem
To all those who say it makes CH sound like a war zone.
Post in 770 and all over different shuls in Crown Heights so word will be spread so chv no michalel shabbos will happen. For all those who don’t look online, this way all will know. VERY IMPORTANT!
You can ask the Community Council of the shechuna to make a robo call to alert EVERYONE…..
LLLLL
The siren helps us so much.
what is wrong with you? enough with the complaining!! say thanks for what you get. done.
Really? What about personal responsibility?
What a great service. And an unsung hero- whoever made it. Thank you and keep up the great work. Hope it gets fixed soon!
sounds like war….
I rely on the alarm every week. Hope Con Ed fixes the cables soon.
IT IS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE FOR EVERYONE TO BE AWARE OF THIS, AND MANY MIGHT BE MECHALELL SHABBOS. IT IS INCUMBENT UPON THE OPERATOR OF THE SIREN , AND THE RABBONIM TO MAKE SURE THAT A TEMPORARY POWER SOURCE BE OBTAINED TO POWER THE SIREN
I hate that alarm. Sounds like war time.
What a terrible noise!