On Wednesday morning during davening, I received the news from a friend and Shomrim colleague that a special announcement had to be made in shul.
The night before as many seven Jews were attacked and beaten as they walked in their community in the Labyrinth, Clarinth and Gist areas.
It was not quite the beginning of the second day of Passover.
By Wednesday evening, Shomrim foot patrols working with the City Police had suspects. That night when Shomrim members could get behind the wheel, cars were saturating the impacted areas. The City Police thanked Shomrim volunteers for everything they had done to assist in the suspects’ identification.
On Thursday morning I parked on the corner of Labyrinth and Gist right next to Fallstaff School.
And I watched.
I watched as Jewish boys on their way to davening slowed their pace when they saw black youths in “hoodies” walk by.
I saw a young frum boy stop, look behind, and run hard towards the Community Kollel.
It’s not like he was in the mood for a good run.
There were four more so-called high school students coming from Reisterstown Road along Labyrinth towards Gist.
The students reached Gist, three boys and a girl. The girl and one of the boys stood in the middle of the street and literally made out. The two other boys stopped and waited.
All of this was just in the shadows of a community that is focused on the beauty, the spirituality and the warmth of Passover.
Freedom?
I bet the one boy I saw literally stop his walk when he saw two hooded black youths saunter by, wasn’t thinking about how “free” he was.
Our kids have to worry about walking to shul to daven on a Thursday morning in Upper Park Heights during the Festival of Freedom.
How ludicrous is that?
Members of Shomrim can’t fully enjoy their holiday, because they are out on patrol in the neighborhood.
Yet, in a few weeks when the weather warms up, you city dwellers will probably be asked to vote by someone connected to a mayoral candidate.
Ask them what their candidate is really doing for crime and for community relations?
If you were sitting with me on the corner of Labyrinth and Gist the other day, you’d know the answer.

Dear Phil:

I did not know about this problem going on in our Jewish neighborhoods. It’s important thak you inform us about this and suggest that we ask our represenatives what they are doing about this. But my question is:

Why do you think it’s a Black threat? I thought that our Jewish community leaders were building better relationships with our Black neighbors. Whatever happened to that project?

Is it an anti-Semitic thing or just rough necks looking for trouble against any target Jewish or Gentile? What’s your take on this?

Barbara Ann

Whatever, happened to that Guardian Angels program that was supposed to start patrolling Upper Park Heights?