Montclair rabbi:
Two wheels good, four wheels bad
When making visits and doing errands around town, Rabbi E. Noach Shapiro of Congregation Shomrei Emunah in Montclair has ditched his car for an electric moped. Photo by Johanna Ginsberg
Call him The Mild One. Rabbi E. Noach Shapiro, religious leader at Congregation Shomrei Emunah in Montclair, has ditched his gas-guzzling car for a "new love": his XM-2000 electric moped, powered by rechargeable batteries.
He uses it to get to local meetings, for hospital visits, and to get from home to the synagogue.
"I'm not Mr. Sanctimonious, but I didn't feel right using all that gas for small trips around town," he told NJJN from the seat of the scooter.
Congregants love it: "That is so cool," said a smiling woman as she passed by on her way into the synagogue.
Shapiro, a former motorcycle rider, has another reason for riding: "It's fun!"
And, like a motorcycle, the scooter creates its own experience. "There's no radio, so I think, and I sing," said the rabbi. "I connect with what's happening on the sidewalk and make eye contact with people on their porches. I've traveled down half a dozen streets in Montclair I haven't been on before. And the weather of the day is actually relevant."
The scooter hits a top speed of 35 miles per hour and can go just 30 miles per charge. When the batteries run out, Shapiro has to plug it into an outlet for four hours. But then, he can put on his yellow sunglasses and shiny black helmet and, with a soundless click of the electric ignition, he's ready to go.
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