1. Shame on whoever caused this chillul hashem

2. Hershel for mayor !!!!!!!!!!

3. Chilul shem shomayim . People need to think before they act . Good intentions do not excuse this type of behavior

4. This is terrible . What does ICE have to do with sending a message to downtown Landlords . It sounds so corny and makes us look very bad I am embarrassed and ashamed

5. Dear Lydia,
   I am so sorry. That you feel that the sign I put up was meant to INTIMIDATE your community. The sign was simply put up as a warning to our landlords that are renting stores in the heart of our town to businesses that do no legal business.
   These stores pay rents that are four to five times the market norm. They sell nothing of interest to anyone ,and never have customers. There are six dvd stores on one block. Uncountable money transferers,and shops with just junk ,being attended by a woman sitting behind the counter watching television.
   Lydia,you know all this already don’t you?
   Why has your community not called the police?
   Are you not ashamed to have gangs and drug dealers taking up valuable space in the heart of our town?
   A place where families should be strolling, buying clothes, getting a bite to eat,shopping for books,gifts,hardware,candy,and toys. Instead we have a dirty, dangerous, seedy area that is a clear danger to our youth,and we should all be ashamed to call it our city center.
   This is not a cultural difference. I have seen many nice hispanic owned businesses.Actually there are two in the area already.

   And now Lydia comes the good news.

   From all this attention, a group that is affiliated with the ICE volunteers squad has,quietly started. They are focusing on the downtown and will be reporting to authorities all that they learn.
   So Lydia,
   Now it is no longer a PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, printing a sign. There are many people now ,reporing what they see daily.
   What I find truly. OUTRAGEOUS is that you feel that an attack on criminal activity is an attack on the hispanic community. I do not feel that these stores represent your people any more than Bugsy Siegel represents mine.
   I hope you will support our efforts in ridding our town of this scourge,and eventually both you and I can enjoy a downtown that represents only the best of both of our communities.

   Thank You,
   Hershel Herskowitz

6. To 11:28
   Please see the comments to the app online article about my actions. Then refer to the comments on any other article involving our community. Then tell me again ,who is resposible for a chillul hashem?

7. Hershel u rock keep up the good work 🙂

8. Mr Hershkowitz
   You are absolutely wrong . Just becauise the readers on the APP site agree with you and all feel that the Hispanics should be thrown out ,does not makeyou right . Aderaba , it shows that everybody believes you are a racist and a bigot and against either Hispanics or illegals . I am not saying that that is your intention or belief ,but purtting up an ICE sign is definitely not a normal way of sending a message to Jewish Landlords .

9. Hershel,

   Please run at the next election. we need people like you on the board.

   Thank you and good luck

10. When one acts appropriately and it gets a hateful reaction from the other party or the other party reports it in a bad tone because they hate hate you that is not a chillul hashem, hashem wants us to do the right thing weather we are looked down for doing it or not, a chullul hashem is when we really dont act our part and in doing that make hashem look bad. for that reason the main chullul hashem is when hashem is made to look bad to yidden eisuv soneh lyaakov we will always be made to look bad to them that need not concern us

11. Why was he watching channel 12 he should of been watching the YANKEES win the world series

12. Herschel,
    Thanks for hanging up that illegal sign. Now all the businesses downtown have received citations and warnings that they can’t have too many signs in their window. Thanks for encouraging the township to enforce another one of their laws that are designed to keep business away from Lakewood. Thanks much, Herschel

13. WHY IS THE YANKS WIN NOT POSTED ON THE LAKEWOOD SCOOP MOST OF LAKEWOOD WERE FOLLOWING THE GAMES AND GOING NUTS LAST NIGHT WHEN THE YANKS WON THIS IS LAKEWOOD NEWS ???

14. Dear other business owner,
    Yes !that was exactly my intention. There is a reason why we have those rules about signs.
    Without them we have the wild west attitude, that is now downtown lakewood. Along with your ability to put up as many signs as you wish ,comes the complacent permission for every store to be plastered with old ripped posters on every inch of their facade.

    Your attitude is one of the problems we are facing.
    Many from our kehilla do not want the slightest inconvenience,even if ultimately they,and their businesses will suffer.
    I see the same store owners that complain about parking ,pull up in front of their store ,and stay their all day.
    If you really have a hard time removing all the old chinese auction posters slathered on your window,I can come and volunteer and help you peel them off.
    I do it all the time ,along with graffiti removal,free of charge.

15. I like how some of you can find criticism on everything positive being done. We are happy someone is finally helping us. That attitude the store owner has is a big problem in our town. Every time we need to enforce a law to help you guys ,we get blasted if some well connected guys wife got a ticket. So we look the other way on small laws and the town ends up like this. If we would follow all the downtown rules we would have a nicer cleaner place to congregate and shop. But guys like you want everything your way and you don’t care if the rest of clifton gets ruined,as long as you or your wife don’t get a ticket.

16. To Another business owner:

    The law is there to keep the town clean and pleasent to shop there. if you dont like that then we dont want you as a Business in OUR town.

17. Officer Herskowitz,
    Bravo, bravo!!!
    Well done, well spoken. May The Rebono Shel Olam continue guiding you b’derech hayashar!

18. I still did not get a straight answer . If your real intention was to send a message to greedy Landlords and to get people to clean up ther old signs et etc , then what does have to do with ice ? ICE clearly refers to illegal Hispanic immigrants . It is ridiculous to put up signs about ICE if your supposed intention is something totally different .

    Imagine how you would feel if somebody put up a sign with negative connotations for heimishe yidden ,and then explain that his intention is just to send a message to Landlords renting to undesirables . I dont think you would be very happy .

    You would be better off if you admitted you made a mistake . In the meantime in the eyes of most people you have lost your credibility and caused a chilul hashem in the process .

19. ICE has a broad range of law enforcement authorities, with responsibility for enforcing more than 400 federal statutes related to national security and public safety.

    Among ICE’s key programs and initiatives are the following:

    Agreements of Cooperation in Communities to Enhance Safety and Security (ACCESS)

    * Teams with state and local law enforcement agencies to combat specific criminal and public safety challenges in their communities. Read more

    Asset Forfeiture/Equitable Sharing

    * Seizes the assets of criminal organizations and, when eligible, shares proceeds with participating law enforcement partners. Read more

    Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST)

    * Investigate and dismantle transnational criminal enterprises at U.S. borders and key seaports. Read more

    Border Violence Intelligence Cell

    * Central point for timely analysis of all-source intelligence and information exchange on criminal activity at the border.

    Bulk Cash Smuggling Center

    * Tactical intelligence center dedicated to the collection, analysis and targeting of transnational criminal organizations transporting bulk currency.

    Cornerstone

    * Targets criminal financial and trade schemes used to earn, move and store illicit funds and conducts industry outreach. Read more

    Criminal Alien Program

    * Identifies criminal aliens incarcerated in U.S. prisons and jails for removal when sentences are complete. Read more

    Customs Cross-Designation

    * Grants customs investigations authority for selected task force operations. Read more

    Cyber Crimes Center

    * Provides ICE field offices with computer-aided technical and investigative services. Read more

    Delegation of Immigration Authority, 287(g)

    * Trains and grants specific, supervised authority to state and local law enforcement partners to enforce immigration laws. Read more

    Document and Benefit Fraud Task Forces

    * Combat fraudulent documentation and other immigration violations. Read more

    Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force

    * Combats transnational human smuggling organizations. Read more

    Forensic Document Lab

    * Combats travel and identity document fraud through analysis and operations support services. Read more

    Fugitive Operation Teams

    * Apprehend and remove fugitive aliens, especially those with criminal convictions, from the United States. Read more

    High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force

    * Participates in task force to coordinate drug control efforts among local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Read more

    ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers (IMAGE)

    * Partners with employers to promote the use of screening tools, best practices and continuing education to achieve a legal workforce. Read more

    Integrated Border Enforcement Teams

    * Disrupts cross-border criminal activity.

    Joint Terrorism Task Force

    * As the second largest federal participant, ICE provides immigration and customs expertise to counterterrorism investigations. Read more

    Law Enforcement Support Center

    * Provides information to officers in the field on individual immigration status of suspects. Read more

    National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center

    * Combats criminal trade in counterfeit goods. Read more

    Operation Armas Cruzadas

    * Targets and investigates the illegal movements of weapons at the southwest border. Read more

    Operation Community Shield

    * Dismantles transnational gang organizations. Read more

    Operation Firewall

    * Combats bulk cash smuggling. Read more

    Operation Predator

    * Protects children from sexual exploitation. Read more

    Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force

    * Identifies, disrupts and dismantles international narcotics trafficking organizations. Read more

    Project Shield America

    * Identifies and investigates the illegal export of U.S. munitions and sensitive technology through cooperation with the military and dual-use technology manufacturers. Read more

    Rapid REPAT

    * Expedites removal of criminal aliens incarcerated in U.S. prisons and jails by allowing selected aliens to accept early release in exchange for voluntary removal from the United States. Read more

    Secure Communities

    * Focuses federal resources on assisting local communities by identifying and removing high-risk criminal aliens. Read more

    Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)

    * Manages information on international students and exchange visitors in the United States along with their dependents. Read more

    Trade Transparency Unit

    * Targets trade-based money laundering around the world. Read more

    Worksite Enforcement

    * Targets employers of illegal workers, especially at critical infrastructure worksites. Read more

20. Dear truth
    ,I am so happy you asked these questions. If you will take a few moments ,and check the ICE website,you will see that the main focus of that oganization deals with drug trafficking ,illegal imports,illegal transfering of illicit funds,human trafficking,and illegal criminal immigrants,and gangs. Everyone knows that they do not enforce immigration laws on law abiding citizens. Proof being the people standing on clifton avenue all day.
    Furthermore,if yopu would look at their list of police actions,you will not find any regarding the deportation of aliens. That is not their job.
    As for my credibility.
    I was not aware I had any. Although now that I put my name out in the open ,and have gone out of my way to try to save your town,and perhaps even the lives of your children,maybe now I do.
    But you can remain anonymous in your smug,misinformed criticism of me. And you can be -Truth.

21. I dont care about the technicalities of wht ICE does from their web site . What is important is the perception . 99 out of 100 people associate ICE with getting rid of the illegal Mexicans . By putting up an ICE sign ,everybody assumed tha was your intention . Next time please think before you do something . This is not some cony ad in the masa umatan . This affects all of us because you put a sign in the public domain that makes everybody perceive Jews as bigots and racists . Yoyr intentions ,even if well meaning ,dso not matter . It is what the average person ASSUMES you mean ,that matters . Nobody in his right mind assumed you meant anything about Leventer realty with the ICE sign .

22. Nobody is arguing with your right to declare war on the drug trafficers . More power to you . We are arguing with your tactics . Putting up corny signs that will be misunderstood ,is not the way to go . Put up signs that clearly spell out your aims and everybody will be with you .

23. Dear Hershel,

    From my previous comments, you already know my views on your sign, so there is no need to repeat them…But I do want to say that I agree with Lydia that the sign, although not in intent but in effect, was a form of intimidation on your part…

    You are wrong to suggest that ICE doesn’t stand for the cops who chase illegals, just because their website lists all the other things they do…As someone who reads newspapers and watches TV(yes I have one), ICE stands for mercilessly chasing undocumented families, holding them in detention centers, often for a long time, and kicking them out of the country…ICE raids are so controversial that many police departments have refused to cooperate with ICE…

    Even if you were right that your ICE sign should ot have signaled to the undocumented Latinos the upcoming roundups, what really matters is how in fact it was perceived by them, and not what they should have thought had they visited ICE website…

    I am glad you took down the sign…Again, I share your concern about the community problems, but please be careful not to create the impression that you are trying to get Lakewood rid of Latinos…

    All the best,

    LM

24. Hershel,
    You have not given us any proof that these businesses are selling or doing any illegal activities. I understand you would like to see more business catering to the Jewish community in the downtown however until there is concrete proof that there is illegal activity going on I think you are way off the mark. The Hispanic business have the same right as you to have a business in the downtown and from all my experiences dealing with their community they are honest and hard working people that are trying to put food on their family table. None of the day labors look like they can afford drugs… they don’t even look like they have enough money for food.

25. I cannot defend myself against a critic that remains anonymous. Because if a nobody is criticizing me then everybody is. So I will retreat for now to my office,order toys and compose my sarcastic ads for the lakewood weekly, that you apparently do not appreciate. I just do not understand how anyone could criticize any actions done to improve the town we live in. If you have children I hope they do not end up like the ones whose parents have called to thank me,because their children are now on drugs,provided by people associated with these stores. If you still have a problem with my unorthodox tactics, you can call me anytime.
    But be aware this is only the beginning, so if you are involved with any criminals,or have a vested interest in seeing their activities continue,understand this is the beginning of the end.

26. Hershel,

    Any parent that thinks that if the Mexicans go their kids will not have anyone to buy drugs from is very out of touch. Most of the drugs bought by members of our community (especially hard drugs such as heroin, coke, crack ect.) are not bought through mexican drug dealers but through those of a diffrent ethnicity.

27. 00646
    correct, the children buy the drugs from their own friends.
    but the friends buy them from the distributors,and those distributors are using our downtown to legitimize their business.

    I did not make this up.Talk to the police they will tell you the truth.

28. Hershel,

    I guess I must spell this out although i do not want to. The big drug DEALERS in lakewood selling hard drugs are not for the most part illegal mexicans.

29. host nisht bessere shtissim tzu zogen?
    plitzlim farshteist niisht vus geit un?
    vilst nor tzumishin a kashe?
    gai arbet and herr ois blogging
    un efsher koif a fleshel shnapps far der shul shabbos

30. correct.
    But the distributors are the owners of all these stores.
    and they use all the money transfer facilities.
    I never accused the mexicans standing on the corners of being the problem-EVER.they are only a slightly inhospitable annoyance caused by the overall problem of these phony storefronts ruining our town.
    I think i have explained this way too many times.

    Please do not take the future absence of any of my posts as a sign of agreement or contrition.
    I simply must go on with my life and have no more time to spend defending myself against one or two anonymous devils advocates.

    Call me if you truly feel passionate about your feelings on this issue, as I will probably not see your responses on here anymore.

31. Hershel

    You keep avoiding answering the question . We are only attacking your choice of using the ICE issue .Everybody I know agrees that the perception of the ICE sign was a direct attack on the Mexicans . Once again IT IS PERCEPTION . If you wanted to go against drug dealers or Leventer Realty or other Landlords ,in the opinion of most people ,you would have chosen a different message on the sign . Nobody is pro drug dealers . I and my friends have absolutely no connection with anything going on downtown . We are just as ANTI drugs as you are We just dont want to painted as racists and bigots because of your misguided sign .

32. i think somethins wrong, did tls get my post (this is a test post)

33. dont you get it
    he explained over and over.did you watch the first video?he says leventer realty is the main blame for what is going on.i dont know who your friends are,but everyone i know applauds the bravery of herschels actions.the use of ice may have been offensive to some,but it was needed to get the attention for this issue which is very important,stop criticizing and find a way to help this kehila like he is.i am calling leventer realty and saying we dont appreciate him ruining our town.and as far as being seen as racist?tell all your leaders to give away everything to everyone but jews. anything short of that ,and you will be called racist.

34. No I dont get it . We are constantly only questioning the use of the ICE sign ,and you keep talking about videos and Leventer Realty . We have no problem with anything you say or claim to mean . We only have a problem with the perception you created ,due to the ICE sign . You cant put up such a sign that means something racist to most people ,and then excuse it by saying ,”well in a video on TLs i explained otherwise ” Actions speak louder than words . I think you should put up another sign explaining that you meant no offense to the Mexicans and that your problem is only with Leventer realty and the phony stores . Then maybe ,the goyim will stop calling me a racist because of you

35. Uh, anybody want hot corn on the cob and mayo? Oh There’s a mexican with a stolen shopping cart doling it out for a nominal charge right on the street on 2nd street downtown. I guess that’s not part of the cleanup of downtown. And the yungerman who was selling flowers on the street near the same venue, the police told him he needs permits and licenses and a whole host of paperwork and beaurocratic garbage. And they threw him out. but the mexucans selling corn…. Ah that’s probably what makes downtown beautiful.
    Don’t give me this garbage that cleaning up signs is the “small stuff” that if overlooked, get’s the downtown looking bad. How much does the corn lady pay the township in taxes, permit fees, and license fees? Let’s see you clean up or at least make a serious effort to clean the legitimate garbage downtown, then I’ll gladly clean up the signs on my store (that incidentially, ilegals are hanging up on MY storefront.)

36. to so claimed truth,

    i take it your not a lawyer, nor in the bais medrash. can you perhaps show us where exactly in the word ICE spells out or defines anti-hispanic. i can see how it represents anti-illegals, but that includes illegals of any nationality. Just because you get a insinuation out of it thats due to your poor judgement. So please either get educated or mind your OWN BUSINESS, untill you learn how to make logical deductions in your arguments. because you are totally misinterpeting simple language.
    and please choose a name that represnts you better, because it sure dont represent what you write

37. the downtown is already much nicer.
    took a walk today all posters and signs covering buildings are down(JEWISH ONES TOO).thank you for the corn lady tip. i was wondering where all those corn cobs were coming from.they are littered throughout the streets.will work on it
    and bicycles clogging the sidewalks ,chained to every tree five deep, are after that.
    one step at a time.

38. Hershel claimed that he was not against the Hispanocs or against the illegals . He claimed he was just against the bad landlords and the stores fronting for drug cartels . an ICE sign certainly doesnt fit with thise issues . If he is against the illegals then let him come out and be a man and say so . The fact is that the majority of these Hispanics are probably illegal ,so by being against illegal you are by extension advocating to get rid of most of the Mexicans in Lakewood . Hershel claims that this is not his intention ,so why are you claiming that it is ?

39. in response.
    Whatever his intentions are does not change any facts or definition of language. just because you may know that he has an agenda, whether its good or not, whether you agree with him or not, it doesnt change the actual meaning of his sign or how it is perceived by the public. aparently he has a list of agendas which all seem to dwell on cleaning up the down town. His putting up the sign seems to be just a fraction or a step towards his goals. NOW, whether you agree that his goals/intentions are good or not, or that his approach is in appropiate you are entitled to your opinion. but thats no reason to change or misinterpert what someone says or displays. hopefully you got my point this time.

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