A group of girls from Brooklyn had a frightening experience Friday night in Lakewood.
The group hopped into an Uber shortly before Shabbos, giving the driver an address to a Shul where they were to partake in a Shabbaton Seudah.
But as they arrived to the destination, they realized there had been a mistake and it wasn’t the right place. But with Shabbos just minutes away, the girls had no choice but to get out of the car.
Not knowing where to go, the girls began walking, but soon realized they were lost. They walked for approximately two hours.
At approximately 7 PM, over two hours after the start of Shabbos, the girls spotted what appeared to be a Jewish development off Route 88, and knocked on the door.
The family, who told TLS they had already finished the Shabbos meal, offered the girls to sit down and rest at their home and make Kiddush before giving them directions to their destination – which was approximately another hour away.
A while later, back at the Shabbaton, some others realized the girls were missing and notified police.
Officers searched the area and spotted the girls walking, and escorted them to their destination.
Lessons we all need to learn from chaverim repeatedly message and take serious.
Whenever traveling-even local-give yourself double the amount of time it takes to get there So you make it in time before shabbos.
Leave to the Catskills at least 6 hours before shabbos
You choose your destination and do the math
I am not a posek, but I would say that it might be better to stay in a car on Shabbos than go out in a makom sakana.
Please ask your Rabbi this question.
This might be considered Pikuach Nefesh.
Give Uber the $ before Shabbos and ask the driver to take you to the correct destination. Ask him politely to open the door for you.
I once had a similar story we had a simcha left our phones and wallets behind and took an Uber right before shabbos. The Uber took us to the wrong address thankfully I realized and guided him correctly since I was from lakewood. My brother in law was in the car and he had no clue since he was from Brooklyn had he been alone he would have gotten off not knowing that he was an hour walk to the correct location.
Don’t rely on Uber drivers!
This is what happens when the streets have similar names.
This is what happens when streets have similar names, are not connected (paper streets in between), or have house numbers not in sequence
It can b pretty scary in Lakewood at nite~so happy the girls are safe.