Clamp-down on Simchat Torah trouble

Police have beefed up patrols to prevent underage drinking in the Five Towns

Posted

Simchat Torah, the Jewish holiday that marks the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings and the beginning of a new cycle — this year on the evening of Oct. 5 and 6 — is a time for rejoicing. In the past two years in the Five Towns, however, underage drinking has marred the celebration.
Andrew J. Parise Cedarhurst Park, a small patch of grass at the intersection of Auerbach and Briarwood lanes in Lawrence known as “the triangle” and the Woodmere Docks are the most popular places. Teens hang out at these spots and engage in inappropriate activities, according to Nassau County Police Department Det. Vincent Garcia.
“For as long as I can remember, we’ve had calls for youths during Simchat Torah,” he said. “I’ve been advised by the 4th Precinct that the problems were mainly disorderly youth, noise complaints, obstructing traffic, cutting through yards.” Garcia added that the police have actually seen less unruliness in recent years thanks to the presence of extra officers.
“There was no drinking and driving, or drinking and fighting,” Cedarhurst Mayor Benjamin Weinstock said of the holiday two years ago. “It was mainly the underage drinking, disrupting the peace and some small vandalism, like throwing eggs.”
Rabbi Yisroel Kamenetsky, the principal of Davis Renov Stahler Yeshiva High School for Boys in Woodmere, said that kids also congregate in backyards of homes in Woodsburgh. The rabbi and local police patrol those areas.

“Last year my wife and I took a walk to one of the popular areas for kids to hang out
on Simchat Torah,” he said. “The reason I did this is I feel a responsibility to do whatever I can to help discourage kids from making bad choices about what to do on the holidays. There was very little activity going on when I got there, and whoever was there left pretty quickly when my wife and I arrived. The police were there as well.”
Weinstock said that the problem has subsided somewhat from what occurred two years ago. “Kids were getting drunk and throwing up,” he said. “Young Israel of Woodmere, for the past 10-plus years, has been a dry synagogue. I believe that now, in all of the synagogues, there’s a policy in place about alcohol. It must be possible that activities are planned to prevent the underage drinking.”
Kamenetsky said that he and other Five Towns rabbis speak to children about how beautiful holidays such as Simchat Torah are when celebrated properly, and how a few wrong choices can pose serious health risks and ruin a young person’s reputation.
“We provide programming during the holidays for the kids, and we educate parents about the dangers of unsupervised drinking in programs at school,” he said. “In the past 10 years, we have raised much awareness about these issues. Parents need to take responsibility for their kids and their guests and not allow their kids to cavort around the neighborhood unsupervised. It’s a recipe for disaster.”
After the drunkenness and public vomiting of two years ago, Kamenetsky wanted to patrol last year. “I saw very little criminal activity last year,” he said. “I think all the neighborhood principals sent out strong letters raising awareness and educating and empowering parents, and it made a big difference. Also, there was a strong auxiliary police presence in the neighborhood, so people were discouraged from hanging out. The police did a fine job of dispersing any crowds.”
Lawrence Mayor Martin Oliner said he was satisfied with the extra patrols by the 4th Precinct in his community during the holiday last year. Patrols will also be conducted this year. “Last year, it was fine,” he said. “This year, I expect things to be fine as well.”