Rabbi, Refusing Ride on Sabbath, Walks 10 Miles From Airport

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*Rabbi, Refusing Ride on Sabbath, Walks 10 Miles From Airport* By Alfred E. Clark June 27, 1971 An Orthodox chief rabbi of Milan, Italy, walked in the pre dawn hours yesterday from Kennedy International Airport to a tempie in the Crown Heights section of Broooklyn accompanied by two policemen. Rabbi Gershon Garelik who came here from Milan to par ticipate in a sevice of the Lu bavitcher Orthodox Movement, the worldwide Orthodox Jewish Hassidic Organization, refused to make the 10‐mile trip by automobile. Rabbi Garelik, noting that the Jewish sabbath had begun after sundown Friday when his El Al Plane landed, declared that it was against his religious code to use mechanical devices, including a car. The 39‐Year‐ald rabbi, who is said to be a cousin of City Council President Sanford D. Garelik, arrived at the El Al terminal about three hours after the originally scheduled landing time of 6 P.M. Rabbi Garelik rufused automobile transport, saying he would walk instead. He rested at the terminal un til almost midnight, and the company arranged for a radio patrol car escort. The policemen assigned were Patrolmen Kenneth Schultz and John Venturella. They placed Rabbi Garelik's luggage into the back seat and the three statted from the airport. The patrolmen alternated, one driv ing and one walking. A heavy rain was falling as the group headed out of the airport to Conduit Avenue and along the outskirts until they came to Pitkia Avenue in Brooklyn. The three continued along Pitkia Avenue and even tually arrived at the temple of the Lubavitcher Movement at 770 Eastern Parkway. The trip, which began shortly after midnight, was completed by 4:30 A.M. The policemen, who were soaked to the skin by the constant downpour, re ceived warm handshakes from the chief rabbi and those, at the temple. The police said that nothing unusual occurred during the trek. Despite his tiring trip, Rabbi Geralik refused to sleep after arriving at the temple. At 10 A.M. he joined in a two‐hour service, which about 1,000 male members of the congergation attended while many women sat in a special gallery upstairs. As for his long trek. Rabbi Garelik conceded had “tired me a little bit,” but added that it was “very pleasant despite the weather.” https://www.nytimes.com/1971/06/27/archives/rabbi-refusing-ride-on-sabbath-walks-10-miles-from-airport.html