By Rachel Holliday Smith – DNAInfo
Police have arrested a man in connection to the vandalism of a controversial eruv built in the neighborhood this summer, the NYPD said — and a second man is set to be charged soon, an attorney on the case said.
Yosef Kratz, 36, of Crown Heights, was arrested on Maple Street near Kingston Avenue Wednesday on charges that he attempted to tear down the religious enclosure built in his neighborhood by members of a Modern Orthodox synagogue.
Kratz’s attorney George Farkas said his client was charged on Thursday with two counts of attempted criminal mischief, both misdemeanors, and has been released from custody.
Police originally charged Kratz with a hate crime when he was arrested Wednesday, Farkas said, but the district attorney’s office dropped those more serious charges in court. A law enforcement source said the evidence did not support hate crime charges.
A second man, Yosef Doron, 21, has turned himself in to police on Thursday and will be charged in the vandalism case, as well, Farkas said. It’s unclear what charges he will face or how he was involved in the incidents.
The NYPD Hate Crime Task Force has been investigating the vandalism since July when the eruv — a symbolic boundary made of string hung between light poles and walls that delineates where observant Jews may carry items on the Sabbath — was cut several times in Crown Heights following an uproar over the structure in the Lubavitch Jewish community, which does not traditionally use or approve of eruvs.
At the time it was installed, many in the Hasidic Lubavitch community were offended by the eruv, built by members of Congregation Kol Israel, a synagogue of the less conservative Modern Orthodox faith.
maybe some people forgot there is a gemara eruvin … it’s there for a reason ~ learn the halochos
some people need the eruv to help their kedushas shabbos … if you don’t than do not use it – that simple
tearing it down is not only an aveira – you take on the sin of those who rely on carrying within an eruv – it’s causing a big chillul Hashem and lacks of ahavas yisroel
anybody really care for MOSHIACH ?!?!?!
Im very happy it was done and at least he stood up for it and kept the rebbe’s words!
Mimenu Yilmedu Vechein Yaasu Rabim Every single day someone else should do it It’s only a misdemener if you only did it once and it cant be called a hate crime unless words of hate are expressed by the person doing it For a misdimenr you only get a small slap on the wrist so it’s the least we can all do for the Kovod of the Rebbe and Kovod of the Badatz The only ones who have hate and contempt are those who built the Eruv If they want an Eiruv let them make their non-kosher Eiruv next to… Read more »
Lubavitch was into kannois before R’ Yoelish ever moved to Satmar. Secondly Bochurim and *lubavitch* yungerleit always took care of people and matters when they went neged the Rebbe. Think Lubavitcher Teroristen of the lameds. Oiso hoish of the mems. (ok a bochur took it to the extreme during the sforim case… And got his Chelek from the Rebbe)… Etc. Etc. When kahana came to the Rebbe abt sleeping in sukka, what did the bochurim do after… When ”violence” is called for its neccesary. There is a story told of one who complained to the Rebbe about those in Meah… Read more »
With all due respect….those showing the least ahavas Yisroel are those who are arresting fellow yidden, those screaming against rabonim, and those choosing to disrespect the values of the ppl of the community they live in.
To pretend that Eruv ppl care about ahavas Yisroel would be laughable if it wwrent so sad.
Those fighting to preserve the holiness of our holiest day is to be commended for the ultimate ahavas Yisroel of not wanting to see fellow yidden hurting themselves.
Eruv ppl, You are the cause of much grief and strife here….plz respect the neighborhood you live in.
Here we go collecting money for “pidyon shvuyim”. People don’t have what to eat and because someone is a shor hamuad we now have to collect money for him (them)?!
I don’t hold of the eruv but I don’t go ripping it down. This is something for the Taliban from Tzfat to do. They will destroy anyone who gets in their way as they did numerous times in 770 staring with breaking down the front door.
This not at all the way of Chabad or Chassidim of the Rebbe zal.
I assume the two people caught, were not acting on their own, but were asked by others. As is not Kratz an employee of 770?
how did he save people from an issur deoiraiso? those that carry, continue to carry, so ripping it down only makes things worse. Although I am adamantly opposed to the eiruv, I cant umderstand this zealotry in the name of the rebbe. I think the rebbe would be much more upset at the tznius situation, and no one says a word. This zealotry is totally misplaced and uncalled for. There are notices all over the neighborhood, that the eiruv is no good. That is sufficient. The vandalisim is totally uncalled for and a chilul hashem.
You don’t “own” crown heights and not EVERYONE thinks or acts like you. Just as a “moshol” you can buy badatz meat and as well as other, you can buy “devash” milk or “golden flow” we can have both on the shelves and you can choose which one you want to buy.
The ‘Eruv’ is not kosher to begin with so it is not capable of preventing anyone in the Rebbe’s Dalet Amos from being mechallel Shabbos. Your premise is unfortunately false.
Live and let live if you don’t want to use the Erev don’t use it the Erev is helping lots of pepole not be mechallel shabbos I’ve seen multiple time pepole carring not even knowing so the bottom line is the Erev is a good thing and if you don’t want to use it don’t use it
if the mayor of albany started making legislation for new york city there would be tremendous opposition. whichever rov made this eruv, did the exact thing he made legislation in someone elses jurisdiction shmuel hanovi was almost killed when he was two for paskening in the presence of eli hakohen. a rov is not allowed to pasken against morei deasra there are three morei deasra in crown heights all of which say the eruv is treif. in order to make an eruv you need to be a yerei shomayim. someone who goes against halacha in such a public manner cannot… Read more »
THIS ERUV IS A DIRECT WAR AGAINST THE RABIEM AND OUR REBBETHE MOSHIACH THE NOSI HADOR!!!!!!! IF YOU ARE A LUBAVITCHER YOU MUST BE INGANTZEN TZUTREISELT!!!!!!!!! THIS MAN IS THE PINCHOS OF OUR DOR!!!!! WE MUST SAVE HIM!!!!!! AD MOSAI!!!!!
But not surprised. So, leaving no stone unturned, while shootings, attacks and robberies abound, the weary and heroic police spend two months dedicated to tracking the trail of these desperadoes who tampered with a string at some point during the summer. The two stabbings in this community were pushed under the rug because the victims were Jewish- but, this is different, this is serious stuff. Hey, anything to arrest a Jew. Wake up people, if after 2 months you are still harping on this and make arresting them a priority, there is something very wrong here. We have an entire… Read more »
Is causing much machlokes!!!! Kol hakovod to the pinchas who we’re zelous to stand for the rebbes inyanim!
Drop the charges & settle this in a Beis Din. Tishrei is not even over yet! There an eye that sees, a hand that writes and everything is recorded in a book. If you’re not sure what to do than try to think how the Rebbe would want it handled then act on it accordingly. If you made a mistake there is a final sealing Zos Chanukah.
if u don’t like the eiruv don’t use it…since when is lubavitcher kanois we are not satmare…
Both party’s should sit down & work this out I’m sure there is genuine regrette on the side of the vandals , & let them pay 4 the damages , Jews have enough enemies !
The fact that many eiruv proponents were vocal about wanting this to be a “hate crime” says as much as I need to know about their care for halacha or for the lives of other Jews. Again, not taking sides with regard to taking down this michshol or not (the rabbonim of a place are koveah the halacha even in the case of a large and source based machlokes, last I checked, and there aren’t too many sources “permitting” here in any case), but this rush to overkill and to persecute people who are opposed to their “leniencies,” even if… Read more »
There is no way to make a halachicaly acceptable Eruv.
Get that straight.
Next, it’s quite low to have your fellow Jew arrested so that you can put keys in your pocket one day if the week when it clearly offends the community you live in.
This selfishness is mind boggling. Yes you live in a free country but there is something called basic respect to the community that you live in.
Shameful!!
To #18, is that a fact? Did you stand on Eastern Pkwy and count every car that passes?!? Because A. if you did I feel bad for and B. I would not want to associate with people like you who think they know everything about halacha and statistics.
G-d help us if people are trying to make the neighborhood a better and more accessible for people on shabbos.
We are all frume yidden who go according to the Torah. Ask a Sheila to any Rov you use if you are permitted to break the Eiruv. Please post here any Rov that paskens it’s permissable.
The eruv is not just crown heights. It happens to include crown heights. So if people live nearby they should be able to do what they want.
These men and all those with their holier then thou opinions are a disgrace to the entire community If you don’t want to use the eruv then don’t! But to create this type of disgusting situation where goyim will be laughing at our own fights is horrible & then to say the vandals are HOLY????? You have all lost your minds! The Rebbe himself put ahavas yisroel at the forefront of being a chassid. Chabad houses open their doors for ravening and meals on shakos and tomtov knowing that hidden will drive…Why? Because they feel something is better then nothing…… Read more »
They were protecting everyone from being mechalal shabbos r’l.
If many rabbonim come and say the eiruv is no good, what did he damage, a useless string? Doesn’t this become a religous issue whether he vandalised something?
You guys have no idea what it means to have halochick Eiruv in Crown Heights….. There’s over SIX HUNDRED HUNDRED THOUSAND car’s a day Traveling through eastern parkway to begin with. Halacha is a NO NO, Just for that reason. Why make the community crazy, when the Rabonim and the rebbe will WIN. You guy’s are having a nice dream!!!! Lets make our community to a Lubavitcher moden orthodox, & then we have a nice Eruv. And all the Halachas of Eiruvin will go to where ever you want it to go. Soooooo stupid this whole thing. We in our… Read more »
shame on the first few commentators – I am embarrassed to say I live here with you.
There is NO room to destroy the Eiruv all because you don’t use it. The sechuna has grown and some do. If you don’t want to use – just don’t.
Boggles my mind how silly and sorry sounding some of you are unless this is one person with multiple emails accounts, halevai.
Anyone who considers themselves Lubavitch, should be Ingantzen Tzutreiselt by this Eruv! Where are our Rabonim? Does anyone care about the Rebbe’s Ratzon 22 years after Gimmel Tammuz? As the Rebbe said in 5746, they are having war with the Alter Rebbe, Mitteler Rebbe, Tzemach Tzedek, Rebbe Maharash, Rebbe Rashab, Biz Nosie Doreinu!
It might be ok in a different hood. However in the Rebbes hood its not ok. Your comment’s underlying assumption is that its not the Rebbe’s shcunah…
#4, how can you compare this to the Rebbeim being jailed? While I do not agree with the eiruv, we live in a free society governed by the rule of law.. For the most part we reap the benefits of living in a free society, so we must take the good with the bad. We have no right to vandalize the eiruv.
I AGREE WITH WITH NUMBER 8 I CANOT ANDERSTAND HOW CAN A YID MAKE HEZAKES YIDDEN HU ARE NOT LUBAVICH USE THE ARUV WHATS THE MATTER WITHYOU ITS A BIG CHILUL HASHEM
he shouldnt have done that. The eruv being here doesnt affect anyone in any way. So just because we arent using it theres no reason to vandalize it!
No-one has to use the Eric. Vandalism.has no place and is a tremendous chilul Hashem.
My Dear Friends, No Matter what is Right or what is wrong About The Eiruv – But Holly Gihad Terorism is Not The Way To Go!!! Please, Every One Of You, Can You Please Have Some Brains…
There’s no halachic problem with the eiruv period! Don’t be gullible and be a lamb to the slaughter.
Let’s be man enough to say “I don’t hold of it but if you do I’m ok with that 🙂
Disagree with the commenters. There is no room for vandalism. It should be condemned by the leadership of this community. I urge the Ranonim to repudiate this despicable behavior. This is a free country (not religious). Any grievances should be sorted out in a Beis Din or secular court.
What eruv?
They get the zchus of being arrested for what’s right…
What the community needs to do is have hundreds of people go to one spot and everyone cut the string. you won’t have a single arrest and it will send a strong message
Hope it comes down again
We should make a collect and pay for the eruv damage
We didn’t have the guts to rip it down, he did. He deserves our support!
Let the community stand up to protect those who stood up for the Rebbe’s Kavod!