PSA: Seminary Dorm Lock-Ins

amother

Mon, Jan 06 2025, 12:21 pm

URGENT SAFETY ALERT: Dormitory Lock-Ins Israeli Seminaries and Yeshivas

Parents: Be aware that many Israeli seminaries and yeshivas lock students in dormitories overnight. While intended to enforce curfew, this practice creates severe safety hazards.

Recently, our daughter's seminary experienced a near-tragedy when an electrical fire trapped approximately 40 students in their locked dormitory. The madricha with the access code couldn't reach the door through the smoke. Students were rescued only through emergency intervention: upon hearing the girls screaming for their lives at the windows, a neighbor with a chainsaw opened the gate, a Arab construction worker broke through walls, and firefighters had to saw through window bars to reach students on upper floors. Though the students were treated for smoke inhalation, we narrowly avoided catastrophic casualties on the scale of the tragedy Meron. Chasdei HaShem!

This dangerous practice is widespread. In another incident last week, seminary students at a different institution couldn't reach bomb shelters during a rocket attack because their dormitory was locked and the staff member with the key was absent.

Safe alternatives exist. For example, Bnos Sarah Seminary in Jerusalem uses alarm systems and security cameras to monitor exits while keeping doors unlocked for emergencies.

Action Items for Parents:
1. Ask about your child's dormitory fire safety and evacuation procedures
2. Confirm whether students are locked in at night
3. Request information about emergency exit protocols
4. Demand safer security alternatives if current practices are unsafe

Change will only come through parental advocacy. Your child's safety depends on it.

keym ↓

Mon, Jan 06 2025, 12:37 pm

I think I said this on a different thread.

My daughter's seminary has a standard security keypad lock.
If someone opens the door after midnight, it immediately sends an alarm to the principal, police and hatzala.
The girls can get out and emergency services can get in. But if they do, it immediately alerts the police.

Im comfortable with this.