Shomrim (neighborhood watch group)

For other uses, see Shomrim (disambiguation).

Shmira (Hebrew: שְׁמִירָה, 'protection') or Shomrim (Hebrew: שׁוֹמְרִים, 'watchers', 'guards') are organizations of proactive volunteer Jewish civilian patrols which have been set up in Haredi communities in neighborhoods across the United States, Canada,[1] the United Kingdom, Israel, Belgium, and Australia (among other countries) to combat burglary, vandalism, mugging, assault, domestic violence, nuisance crimes and antisemitic attacks, and to help and support victims of crime. They also help locate missing people.

Shmira and Shomrim volunteers are generally unarmed and do not have the authority to make arrests, other than citizen's arrest. Some Shomrim members in the United States have been convicted of assaults and misdemeanors against people from outside their community.[2][3][4][5]

In Brooklyn,[6] Baltimore,[7] and London[8][9] many residents call Shmira or Shomrim prior to the police due to the former's shorter response time.[10] However, Shomrim in New York has been criticised by the New York City Police Department for not always notifying police when a call comes in.[2] In London, however, the Hackney Police Borough Commander Chief Superintendent Matthew Horne complimented Shomrim on this point, saying that "they will generally know when is the time to call us. They don't tend to waste our time and they don't let people go".[11].

Shomrim organisers in Brooklyn have been accused of withholding information on suspected child molesters and other Jewish criminals, in keeping with an interpretation of the Torah prohibition against mesirah (informing on a fellow Jew to the non-Jewish authorities).[12][13][14]

  1. ^ Larouche, Vincent (2 April 2020). "Distanciation sociale: le SPVM intervient dans une synagogue Les services de sécurité hassidiques, les Chomrims, sont accourus sur place dans plusieurs véhicules". La Presse. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference wsj was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference balt was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference monseyballoon was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Feuer, Alan. "Brooklyn’s Private Jewish Patrols Wield Power. Some Call Them Bullies." The New York Times, 17 June 2016.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference cityroom was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference sun was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference chronicle was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Shomrim Stamford Hill - North London". londonshomrim.com. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  10. ^ Kinder, Tabby (3 June 2014). "On Patrol with North London's Crime-Fighting Orthodox Jews". Vice Media. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  11. ^ Hooper, Simon. "Jews help guard UK mosques after attacks". aljazeera.com. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference week was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference cs was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Pinto, Nick (7 September 2011). "The Shomrim: Gotham's Crusaders". The Village Voice.