We need Quiet Erev Shabbat!

After a break of many years, the loudspeakers started again this Friday right before Shabbat!

See this innocent looking circle on top of the building?  Well it is not so innocent!  It can blast out sound at over 200 decibels!  

For some stupid reason, someone decided that we in our neighborhood like to have chassidic music blasted at our ears 20 minutes before Shabbat!  

There are many problems with this. 

1. Many people don't like this music, 

2. Many people take Shabbat in early in the summer, and are in the middle of their evening Shabbat prayers, and don't want to have music blaring so loud that you can't concentrate on anything else. 

3. Many people like to use the last 20 minutes before Shabbat to rest. 

4. Families with young children and babies sometimes put their kids to bed or have them take a nap at this time. The loud earsplitting noise wakes them up. 

5. Who gets to decide which music and how loud it is? 

6. Was there a vote?  Did the residents of the neighborhood get to choose to have this noise? 

For all these reasons, I took it upon myself to call the Police last Friday so that they could be witness to the distraction and aggravation that this caused the neighborhood. 

The noise stopped within two minutes!

I told many of my neighbors, and they thanked me. 

Next time you hear this noise, call the police! 

Rachael Alice Orbach