Presence at 770
Booths and trained volunteers in front of 770 throughout Yom Tov, coordinated with the NYPD and the local community patrols.
Tishrei at 770
Everyone is on the team
Every Tishrei, tens of thousands of guests come to Crown Heights. 770 runs around the clock, the streets are full until early morning, and unfamiliar faces are the norm. That is exactly what makes something out of place harder to notice. During Tishrei, security is not only the volunteers at the door. It is every person in the crowd.
During Yom Tov
What C.H.O.S.E.N. does during Tishrei
Bochur patrols
Bochurim patrolling the surrounding blocks, so the streets around 770 are watched, not just the doors.
Inside the shul
Volunteers inside who know the building, the regulars, and the exits.
One alert network
A report at any door reaches everyone who responds, at once.
See something? Say something.
What can you do?
You do not need training to help. You need to notice, and to tell someone.
- 1
Keep your eyes up
Between davening and farbrengens, notice who is around you and what they are doing.
- 2
Know your exits
Wherever you are standing in 770, know two ways out.
- 3
Travel light
Do not bring luggage or bags into the area around 770. Carry only what you need. Fewer bags means an out-of-place one is easier to spot.
- 4
Bag or package out of place?
Do not touch it. Let someone from Shmira or Shomrim know, or call them: Shmira 718-221-0303, Shomrim 718-774-3333. Or tell the NYPD officer on post.
- 5
Someone watching the doors?
Testing doors, photographing entrances, asking about schedules or security. Tell a volunteer. You do not need to be sure.
- 6
A car that keeps coming back?
Circling, or idling on the same corner for a long time. Note the plate and tell someone.
- 7
Do not confront
Be a good witness instead: description, direction, time.
- 8
Report it
Tap a number to call. Immediate danger: 911. Something suspicious right now: Shmira or Shomrim. Medical: Hatzalah. Afterward: the online incident form. Emergency911 Shmira718-221-0303 Shomrim718-774-3333 Hatzalah718-230-1000 After the factReport online →
Out of place
It's about behavior, not appearance
A guest who looks unfamiliar is normal in Tishrei. Someone who is watching the doors instead of the bimah is not.
Normal in Tishrei
Unfamiliar faces. Crowds at 3 a.m. Guests asking where to find a minyan or a meal.
This is what Tishrei in Crown Heights looks like. None of it is a reason to worry.
Worth a second look
Watching the doors. Testing locks. Photographing entrances. A bag left and walked away from.
Behavior that does not fit the moment. Do not confront. Let Shmira or Shomrim know, or tell the NYPD.
Tell people
The more people who know, the safer 770 becomes
Say it at your minyan
Thirty seconds before or after davening: what to look for, and who to tell.
Put it in the group
Share this page in your building's or shul's WhatsApp group before Yom Tov.
Ask your gabbai to announce it
An announcement from the bimah before Yom Tov reaches everyone at once.
See something? Say something.
If it looks off, it probably is.
An unfamiliar person lingering at the door. A bag left behind. A car circling the block. You do not need to be certain. Tell someone, and let the people whose job it is decide.
- Immediate dangerCall 911
- Something suspicious right nowShmira 718-221-0303Shomrim 718-774-3333
- Medical emergencyHatzalah 718-230-1000
- After the fact, or a concernReport it online →
Give a shift this Tishrei.
A few hours in front of 770 or inside your own shul makes a difference the whole community feels.