New York: 'Fuel Gemach' • Due to darkness: outbreak of theft and accidents

Fuel shortage across New York, endless queues still trailing around various fuel stations in Borough Park and Flatbush, and many residents have to travel a distance of three quarters of an hour to New Jersey to refuel their cars, some even filling containers of extra fuel besides for the vehicle tank.

Around the fuel shortage has also emerged the phenomenon of special 'charity', students and business people who live in Brooklyn and work in New Jersey, but come regularly by subway, volunteer to take someone's car instead of another person in need for fuel and fill the tank.

The 'Chaveirim' organization in Borough Park opened a fuel Gemach last Friday. Anyone who needs fuel can call the number 718-431-8181 and get information about the state and the gas distribution centers. For a deposit of $100, any person in need can get a can containing five gallons of fuel. The organization requests that anyone who lends fuel should try and return it that same day.

Due to domestic fuel crisis, Dov Hikind, Assemblyman of New York called, a press conference on Friday, calling for Mayor Michael Bloomberg to resign, due to the failed function days after the storm, Sandy.

As part of his failure Hikind noted that ten days after the storm, thousands of families in Lakewood, Far Rockaway and Seagate are still in the dark without electricity, and without the ability to heat their homes in the freezing weather which prevails in New York.

Even in the town of Monsey the power returned only this Friday, and this, only after massive lobbying by Orthodox residents activists.

Last night (Motzei Shabbos) two buses full of Orthodox Jews from Baltimore went to Seagate to help and assist the residents to rebuild their homes, clean and sort the Sifrei Torah, the holy books and the synagogues which were damaged in the storm.

Meanwhile, during the past few days the 'Shomrim' and 'Chaveirim' organizations reinforced their forces and patrols in the dark neighborhoods, because of the increase in cases of robbery and theft in the dark areas. Criminals are taking advantage of the fact that the security cameras do not work, and under cover of darkness they steal everything in sight.

Another negative result due to the darkness: traffic accidents significantly increased especially in the evening.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!