URGENT: Arabs and OUR Children at Bus Stops

Yesterday, after leaving Kupat Cholim Macabee in the Ramat Beit Shemesh “aleph” shopping mall, around 4:45 PM, I encountered a situation which could have turned dangerous for some young school children waiting for the 19 bus to take them home to RBS “Gimmel.”

As I walked up the road (which leads to Ramat Shilo), passing the Chabad Shul toward Kishon, I first saw 2 Arabs at the bus stop for the 19 bus which goes to RBS “Gimmel.” Fortunately, it turned out that in the end, the Arabs were waiting for their ride. But just a few feet beyond them were 2 or 3 young (unattended by parents) boys waiting for the 19 bus. These boys couldn’t have been older than 8 or 9 years old and seemingly unaware of possible danger.

I was soon joined by a couple of women who also there to wait for the 19 bus. After a long wait for 19 bus, B’H, finally a kind person drove by, stopped and took in the kids to get them home in RBS “Gimmel.”

But the scene described above could have been a recipe for tragedy.

1) I’m appalled at the lack of responsibility that some parents take for the safety of their offspring. When new residents, such those in newly-built RBS “Gimmel”, begin living in an area, it is crucial that the parents scout-out their children’s bus route to and from school at the times the children go to school and come home. In today’s reality, where Arabs, Islamics seek any opportunity to hurt or kidnap a Jew, parents must be aware of their children’s route and aware of any possible dangers lurking along the route.

2) I’m equally appalled at the police who, if Arabs routinely wait at that spot for their ride, the police don’t cruise the area when they know Arabs are there.

3) I urge all Rabbanim reading this piece to speak to their Kehillot urging parents to plan out the best and safest means to get their children to and from school.

4) In this particular case, since there is a Chabad shul within feet of this bus stop, shouldn’t the men davening Mincha ketana take the time after davening to be alert and show caring and responsibility for their fellow Jews so that young Jewish children are not left unnoticed, uncared for with Arabs lurking nearby?

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