Maybe He Was Going to an Emergency Bris?

Did you see CBS 2 Investigates: Too Good For Gridlock? The too-good-for-gridlock offender is Isaac Heschel, a diamond dealer who is also a rabbi and volunteers time as a chaplain to the MTA and Port Authority Police. Heschel frequently uses sirens and lights in his Crown Victoria, but neither agency gave him sirens or lights, meaning that Heschel pimped the car out for emergency fun himself.

CBS 2 was tipped off by an anonymous member of law enforcement: "Sent with the tape was a note that claimed Heschel was putting pedestrians and other drivers in danger." So reporter Scott Weinberger followed Heschel for days:

At crosswalks he used lights to move pedestrians along. And if traffic gets too bad he drives the wrong way up a street. Remember, he is not a cop. He is not going to an emergency...

...It was on the way to the Diamond District that day we saw Heschel’s official looking car use the HOV lane to avoid a major traffic jam on the Prospect Expressway.

When lights and sirens aren't enough, not even a tie up at the Lincoln Tunnel stops our reckless rabbi. The lights flash; he gets out and actually moves several traffic cones, and then drives past a Port Authority Police checkpoint without ever being challenged.

Scott Weinberger: "What was the necessity for you to use your lights, to remove cones, to go through a closed entrance of the Lincoln Tunnel?"

Heschel: "Sir, I don't think what I do I need to discuss with you."

Not only that, he Heschel used a number of parking cards to avoid tickets! Now, the MTA and PA Police are no longer working with Heschel.

In 2004, Mayor Bloomberg stripped all non-essential city cars of sirens and lights when one of his deputy mayors used them to get through traffic during her morning commute.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on November 30, 2006 3:19 PM

Comments [rss]

Get ta Know Me

"I think it's the last part the "helping our own get ahead" that makes everyone hate jews. It's like the ultimate nepotism racist class."

Want to join a country club? Better know a Jew! We're much worse than, say, those WASPy Old Boy networks.

Tim N.

You know, when I first read this story I was so ticked off I wanted to go strangle the guy myself. But the more I think about it, the more I'm wondering if they can rig up those lights-and-sirens sets for Subarus.

BTW, Scott Weinberger is also an ex-cop. So was it the religion and law-enforcement angle that got him this assignment, since the Rebbe was an NYPD Chaplin as well?

Just wonderin'...

kay eff Cee

Hey, who doesn't like Fried Chicken?

For shame, indeed.

now we know some true colors coming out.

Same goes for watermelon. I eat it like how my pappy taught us, sprinkle some salt on them slices.

shame

"Maybe He Was Going to an Emergency Bris?"

What the hell is this?

So if the guy was black, would you write "Maybe He Was in a Hurry to Get Fried Chicken?"

Shame.

Sivan Kurzberg

Oy!! I wished we had thought of this 5 years ago.

Sivan Kurzberg

bash

"We dont reeeeally run the world! We're just hated because we're disproportionately more successful than everyone else. We value education, hard work, and helping our own get ahead."

haha! 'hard work' that's a good one.

at least you realize that 'helping your own' is why you're 'hated'.

you are the reason anti-semitism exists.

macaca

What about the fatties! The fatties!! My god, the FATTIES!!!

jojo

Ich Bein ein Mein Fuhrer. Sieg Heil!!!

Ortho-Jew

Whoa, the comments here beat NYPD RANT big time.

Such hate for the Jews!? My God!

This guy ain't no freakin Rabbi. He's a con-artist who sniveled his way into the PAPD by claiming to be a Rabbi.

As for CBS, they recently did a piece with Brendan O'Keefe about the cops ABUSING their privileges; I guess this "major investigation" was meant to level the scale.

Whatever the case, this poor idiot will be expelled from the Ortho-Jewish community even faster than his traffic jam maneuvering.

Good Riddance

not magestic

magestic: "It's the JEW way to be sniveling and pathetic and garner sympathy if ever called on anything."

That's funny, given that you mention Kramer who apologized -- but he himself is not Jewish!

majestic

"Let's not forget that Heschel APOLIGIZED for his actions. The man is not fucking evil. He fucked up majorly, but the point is, most New Yorkers refuse to apoligize due to to their stubborness." yeah just like KKKramer apologized after he was found out on tape. If you read the article it says Heschel only apologized after seeing the cameras. It's the JEW way to be sniveling and pathetic and garner sympathy if ever called on anything.

She-Male

Hes a diamond dealer, AND hes Jewish. How can he NOT be evil???

James

Let's not forget that Heschel APOLIGIZED for his actions. The man is not fucking evil. He fucked up majorly, but the point is, most New Yorkers refuse to apoligize due to to their stubborness.

aed

Cops use their sirens and lights for non-emergencies all the time. I'm glad Heschel was found out but now they should put there attention to cops stopping traffic as they TRY to manuever into parking spaces, run red lights at a snail's pace (no emergency there) and park in bus stops when ample "police cars only" parking is available all around.

herschel

damn 539s with their big noses and even bigger sirens

gary

all fat people are jews.

Macaca

Since we are at it, what about the fatties? I hate FAT people. They should pay $4.00, maybe $8.00 to ride the subway. They are so big! WTF. The Jews are not the issue; I think the Fatties are the REAL problem. Please discuss.

mel gibson

I told you about these People before. You didn't believe me then but it's all out now.

jo

"We dont reeeeally run the world! We're just hated because we're disproportionately more successful than everyone else. We value education, hard work, and helping our own get ahead." I think it's the last part the "helping our own get ahead" that makes everyone hate jews. It's like the ultimate nepotism racist class.