By COLlive reporter
Christian men and women were seen Friday afternoon playing and chatting with Jewish children in Lefferts Park, frequently used by Chassidic residents of Crown Heights.
Was this an interfaith alliance? Yes, but a one sided one.
A Lubavitcher at the park with his kids told COLlive.com: “Members of the Westside Baptist Church” used the good weather to befriend Jewish boys and girls without their parents present or aware.
Church members played jump rope and basketball with the Jewish children and offered arts and crafts and other table games.
The kids who were in the park with their parents were immediately told to lose contact with the unwanted adult guests.
“But many of the kids were there on their own or with a gentile babysitter who didn’t care that the kids are keeping busy,” a Jewish parent told COLlive.
“Parents must be aware of the danger of letting kids free in the streets without proper supervision even if they need a quiet moment in the house to prepare for shabbos.”
The father sent COLlive.com mobile photos of the children. He said he did not see any food – kosher or non kosher – being exchanged.
I now have a new term for missionizers: Spiritual Predators. Sickening.
I love how everyone is offering up Beis Rivkah/ Bnos Menachem girls to watch your kids on a friday afternoon. Are you serious? I understand the point of view we are making such nice programs for non frum jews we should have some programs for frum jews. But seriously it is not Beis Rivkah or Bnos Menachem students job to watch your kids. Its a nice idea but seriously…
#23-Crown Heights has become a Hick Town.
We need some Shluchim there.
that Is bad
“DO NOT TALK TO STRANGERS EVER ”
if your children can go to the park by themselves then teach them the basic rules of SAFETY : do not take food, candy or toys from strangers and remember adults do not ask children directions. stay away from vehicles. PERIOD
WELL< lets send Bais RIvkah/Bnos Menachem. etc. girls to the park on Friday to have fun and play games with Jewish kids being left without proper supervision on Fridays. ON Shabbos. Plenty of "mivtzoim" to be done in Crown Heights. Look, these guys are doing "mivtzoim" lehavdil. We need to UP programs, chinuch, motivation, and respect for our own, instead of wasting time being angry. What can we DO to counteract this, there is a need that needs to be filled. Lets make sure we fill it, and not missionaries.... and perhaps we wont be such easy prey.
They have to taste their own poisen, its time to teach them a lesson once and for all. What a chutzpa in our own neighborhood. Just seat back and watch. Time for action.
Never again.
we need to watch out
“…Adults allowed in playground areas only when accompanied by a child under the age of twelve “
Two laws that exist for parks in New York:
1.No person shall hold or sponsor any special event or demonstration without a permit.
2.Areas within the parks designated by the Commissioner for exclusive use shall include:
Exclusive Childrens Playgrounds: Adults allowed in playground areas only when accompanied by a child under the age of twelve
Is there really a problem with Jewish kids being so ignorant of Nevi’im and Kesuvim that they will accept what a goy tells them is written in the words of our heilige Prophets? Learn Na”CH with your kids, especially Yeshaya and Tehillim! “Know what to answer to the Apikoros!” Also: don’t let younger kids into the park alone! Older kids: don’t chat with friendly strangers! Also: don’t spit and curse at non-Jews. Use a little common sense, people. If you are going to raise your kids to be shluchim, they have to know how to get along with all kinds… Read more »
I just don’t get it-my parents taught me since I was a baby not to talk to strangers…let alone missionaries. I find this quite pathetic-how dangerous! How scary!
its so creepy how they work
Please Mothers stay home work from home. This is again a reminder, no one can be there for our children but us. Please don’t send kids alone anywhere till they are older and smarter. Hashem Yerachem. Hashem will make sure there is bread on your table too. PLEASE
WHERE IS THE CROWN HEIGHTS COMMUNITY COUNCIL ON THIS ISSUE!!! WHERE ARE THE PARENTS!! WE ONLY HAVE OURSELVES TO BLAME!!
this happened last year. they set up band to play music and handed out silly bands. the police claimed that they had a permit. parents were letting their kids receive the silly bands as they did not know they missionaries, some israeiles did not take note the traif words in the music they playing/singing. no one from the community council was avail by phone on a Sunday night using the regular published phone numbers. Shame that therre was no one to talk to about these kind of thing in our CH
A public park isn’t school or a camp trip.. I know we are all very busy so am I . But going to a park should be with a parent so that your children will grow and enjoy it with you. Why would you send children alone… ??It’s public.. For everyone! Including all the goyim who live here. Let’s all learn from this and realize we were all very lucky b’h. Please be with your children , watch them play with them enjoy them…
I don’t understand why kids would just be playing with strangers at the park. Doesn’t anyone teach their kids anything? Growing up, we always went to the park-way out of town on shlichus and everyone there was so nice and friendly and we KNEW not to talk and definitely not to play with strangers, and this is from when we were little. What- you tell your kids, anyone who isn’t black is fine to talk to? Is that why the kids didn’t realize anything was suspicious?
Our local parks are a vital source for our childrens activities. It is a pleasure to pass by and see hundreds of our children doing activities that promote both healthy exercise and socialization.
It is imperative that a joint effort be undertaken by our school administrators , the CHJCC ,the Bais-Din and parents to arrange a supervising group to protect our innocent children from any predators of any form.
They were there today but word got out in shuls already…they were dancing with the kids and doing crosses on themselves!
scary – but you cant keep kids under your nose every second. If a neighborhood park isnt safe, no place is.
This points to a LACK in us! We need to fill the void that they showed us!
the pictures are just too disturbing, this is crown heights, not a hick town. I thought I would have a break from missionaries, but no, they dont give up!!!!!!
THEY JUST WANNA CONVERT JEWS !!!
READ #10 THE COMMENT IS EXAFCTLY WHAT I THOUGHT WHE I SAW THIS.
ALSO #19 – JUST TOO SCARY!!
its a good thing, just needs (jewish) adult supervision as well
there are many “mission trips”. i was there in the summer and there was a group who made a performance played with the kids and gave out silly bands.i went up to kids and tried to get them away many were there with babysitters or themselves and i just wanted to leave with my child.dont think this is an isolated incident.you need to be careful with non jewish or russian babysitters.there were a few russian sitters there as well as non jewish ones
my husband was there these missionaries were giving out bracelets and enganging the kids in arts and crafts and ball games etc…….my kids came home singing the song that the missionaries were playing on a tape recorder saying the asers hadibros and throwing in j in the middle…….it was hard to stop the kids ………there were about 25 jewish kids and they were all so excited to be part of the fun………and the missionaries were “seemingly” just being nice…….just a side note those of u who leave their precious children with goyishe babysitters don’t trust them …..do pop in unexpectedly… Read more »
I wonder if its a complete miracle that they werent kidnapped. C”V
i sow them on shabbos and i staid away !!!!!!!!!!! (i knew something was wrong)
As soon as I read what you wrote, I thought that that’s a great idea- there are k”h so many high school students in crown heights, and I know many of them go on mivtzoim on friday afternoons. It’s such a simple, yet brilliant idea to have some of them, instead of going on mivtzoim, organize fun, productive activities for kids in crown heights- especially now that we’ll be starting the longer friday afternoons!
Do you know anyone who could organize such a thing?
Shliach in Florida as a child learned how to deal with such predators.
they are on a mission trip from florida…they will be gone in a couple days…until then just watch out
The missionaries are very shrewd and came smack in middle the of a friday afternoon. Being white, many of our unsuspecting kids did nor realize they were not jewish and they need to beware. They took pictures as well. Children should not be allowed to go on their own. School.administration see should be notified to warn parents and kids.
can we call shomrim next time?
non jewish adults bein nice to jewish kids
we have to remember to take care of the kids in our community…we are so busy on shlichus making wonderful free programs for not frum people yet nothing is really done with the kids in our community who could really benefit from some extra non expensive programs that can make them shine. the fact is the children were just being kids and having some fun…they all have huge smiles on their faces…unfortunately it was from non Jews…and as for parents it is difficult and challenging to raise large families and erev shabbos on a nice day all parents need is… Read more »
“can be missionaries”? It is not that they can be, but they ARE missionaries. For living in a neighbourhood with Christian around me, I can tell you that such acts of “friendship” are NEVER trivial. They begin by being nice, playing games, and once the “friendship” has been established, they tell you a word about Yoshke. And we all know what happen then…a Jew ends with a baptizing ceremony. They use the same tactics in EY to capture Jews from Russian ascent. They open centers where Russian Jews can have clothes for free and play chess. Once they are accustomed… Read more »
THIS IS PSYCHOOOOO
Besides for the ruchniyes – ruining them mitzad yidiskeit would CHV take time….
ONE attempt at physical abuse could be hugely dangerous to your chidren…
HOW DO YOU SEND YOUR KIDS TO A PUBLIC PARK ALONE – WITHOUT ADULT SUPERVISION?!?!?!???!?!?!?!?!
2 AND 3
U GIZE ARE BOTH RIGHT SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONT ITS NOT LOOKING TOO PRETY
i so hope that this parent approached the jewish kids and told them what was going on. if he knew for a fact that these people were missionaries,he also should have told the missionaries to bug off and not bother the jews.i do that here as we often have j witnesses coming to my neighboehood, trying to convert unsuspecting persian jews.
I read with profound shock disbelief and alarm, the report with the accompanying picture, of unattended Children in Lefferts Park. This of course is not only a Ruchniyusdige acute danger to these unsuspecting Children, but a real clear and present bodily danger, to these Children. A strong message must be conveyed to parents, and a reminder, that a life can and many times is, changed in an instant, who is taking responsibility that people are not harming their Children, in body, mind, spirit and Neshama? Who is willing to take Achrayus for a lifetime of hurt that even good therapy… Read more »
Shoimu Shomayim!!!!