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Williamsburg Hasidic Group Wants Bike Share


June 10, 2013 | Andy Cush

An unlikely group hopes to bring more bike share stations to North Brooklyn: Hasidim for Bikes, a Williamsburg-based organization which hopes to “give a voice to the silent majority of Hasidim who live in Hasidic neighborhoods and want bikes in their neighborhoods.”

The Hasidic community in Williamsburg has a long history of battling against bikes–one spokesman for the community, Isaac Abraham, even threatened “civil disobedience” if Citi Bike racks were installed in that neighborhood. But Hasidim for Bikes hopes to change that hostility. “Bikes keep us healthy, carry us from point A to point B, save us from high gas prices, and make our roads less congested,” goes a post on the group’s website. “Bikes fill our lives with adventure and excitement, relaxing our minds and energizing our souls.”

The group’s Twitter feed is full of pro-cycling sentiments:

(Photo: Shinya Suzuki/Flickr)