An association of Negro clergymen endorsed this weekend the unarmed car patrols organized by Hasidic Jews in the crime-ridden Crown Heights section of Brooklyn.
The group, representing 72 Negro churches in Brooklyn and Long Island also pledged the participation of the Negro congregations in the fight against crime in New York City. The number of Negroes taking part in the roving radio-equipped cars of the Hasidic Jews would be increased.
The endorsement was considered significant because Negro groups in the area initially indicated a belief that the Hasidic patrols, originally called the Maccabees, might be a vigilante effort aimed at Negroes. The Negroes now say that the citizens patrols are helping to reduce crime in the community. About 20 Negroes are now riding in the patrols.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
