Orthodox Jews observing the Sabbath are in conflict with the city’s Sanitation Department over new regulations regarding curbside garbage drop-offs, claiming these rules infringe on their religious practices.
In neighborhoods like Crown Heights, residents are required to bring their trash to the curb on Fridays for Saturday pickup—timing that conflicts with their Sabbath preparations. “The city’s new regulations directly undermine our religious freedoms and seem to disregard nearly a century of established practice,” expressed Crown Heights resident Kan Tzivah.
He pointed out that for half the year, the Sabbath begins before 6 p.m., but the city’s rules dictate that trash must be placed at the curb later, during a period when observant Jews refrain from work-related activities.
“I even tried to explain the situation to a DSNY worker who was issuing tickets right before Shabbos recently,” Tzivah recounted. “He was sympathetic but stated he couldn’t make exceptions as he was just following orders.”
“It feels like, in NYC 2024, the concerns of the Jewish community no longer matter.”
Under the new regulations, property owners must place their bins out the evening before collection—after 6 p.m. for secured bins, or between 8 p.m. and midnight for trash bags.
* The New York Post contributed to this article.
