Jewish patrol group Shomrim offers emergency phones to New York City synagogues
The volunteer Jewish neighbourhood watch group Shomrim is offering New York City synagogues special phones that connect instantly to emergency services following a slew of antisemitic incidents in the city.
Shomrim emergency vehicles. Source: Williamsburg Shomrim via Twitter.
The emergency “shul phones” will allow callers to press one button to be connected to 911, the local Shomrim or the Hatzalah ambulance service, according to the New York Post.
The hotline will even be available on Shabbat when most observant Jewish people do not carry their cell phones and synagogue landlines are inaccessible.
Motty Browner, a supervisor with the Borough Park Shomrim, told the New York Post that as many as 200 synagogues have expressed interest in the special phone.
He added that the phones will be sold at cost, which is expected to be under US$200.
JNS
