Letter to Paul Screvane about Addressing West Side Alternate Parking Regulations on Shabbat (1962)

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Letter to Joseph Judenberg about Addressing West Side Alternate Parking Regulations on Shabbat (1962)

Dear Mr. Judenberg: Thank you for your letter of March 2nd regarding the inconvenience caused Orthodox Jews by the new traffic regulations. Enclosed please find a photocopy of a letter I had sent out a week ago to Commissioner Barnes, with a request to neighboring Rabbis to do likewise. Sincerely, Rabbi Norman Lamm

The Jewish Center

Letter from Samuel Hochstein about the Reason for West Side Alternate Parking Regulations on Shabbat (1962)

Dear Rabbi Lamm: The days and hours which alternate-side-of-the-street parking are to be effective are determined by the New York City Department of Sanitation. That Department requests the New York City Traffic Department to authorize such regulations. After installation, the Traffic Department sees to it that these regulations are in proper condition. If you require the information as to why Saturdays were reinstated as alternate-side-of-the-street parking days, we recommend that you write to the New York City Department of Sanitation at 125 Worth Street.We are sorry that we could not be of further aid to you in this matter.Very truly yours,SAMUEL HOCHSTEINDirector of Highway Patrol

The Jewish Center

Letter to Commissioner Barnes about the Effect of West Side Alternate Parking Regulations on Shabbat-Observers (1962)

Dear Sirs, Allow me to bring to your attention a situation which affects many members of my congregation and other worshippers in the area, and in which I believe you can be of considerable assistance. Until now, public regulations were such that on Saturdays there were no restrictions on alternate sides of the street. Your latest ruling, however, has changed that, and now the alternate side law is in effect on Saturdays too. This has caused undue hardship on religiously observant Jews for whom it is forbidden to operate their automobiles on the Sabbath. A number of our people have brought this to my attention and asked me to see what can be done on their behalf.I appreciate that there must have been sufficient cause for the change to be made in the regulations. However, I hope you will understand sympathetically the dilemma of a large number of Orthodox Jews who now find themselves confronted with this serious problem.I have been informed by the Department of Traffic that the new Saturday regulations have been authorized by the Traffic Department at the request of the Department of Sanitation, and that any change must begin in your office.May I, therefore, urge you most strongly, in consideration of the religious inclinations of a large number of citizens in mid-town New York, to revert to the previous system whereby Saturdays were exempt from the alternate side of the street parking regulations. I know that worshippers in my own congregation and those of neighboring synagogues will be most grateful to you and appreciative of your concern and assistance.Sincerely,RABBI NORMAN LAMM

The Jewish Center