Shomrim Offers to Install Landline Phones in Shuls For Shabbos and Yom Tov Emergencies

by Yehudit Garmaise

Since January 2020, Shomrim Brooklyn South has installed landline phones without charge in more than 70 shuls in Boro Park and Kensington, so that mispalelim have a way to contact help in cases of emergencies on Shabbos and Yom Tov, when Yidden do not carry phones.

Equipped with the Shomrim phones in their shuls, Boro Parkers can reach the NYPD, Shomrim, or Hatzolah with the push of just one button, said a volunteer, who told BoroPark24 that Shomrim just received a new stock of phones to install in shuls.

“Hatzolah gets a lot of calls for medical emergencies,” said the volunteer, who said that the phones have been used many times for pikuach nefesh. “Chas v’shalom, if a child or an adult goes missing, or a dangerous person walks into a shul and anything happens, G-d forbid, on Shabbos or Yom Tov, with the phones installed, people can call for help.”

While some shuls want their phones by their front doors, everyone hangs their phones “in a different spot,” the volunteer said.

Why landlines, which many people have replaced with cell phones in the past few years?

“With cell phones, whenever you need it, it is out of batteries,” the Shomrim volunteer said with a laugh. “Most shuls have jacks, and we install the phones on the walls.”

Mispallim who would like emergency phones installed in their shuls should call (718) 746-6736 or email [email protected].

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