Orthodox Mom Arrested For Series Of Armed Robberies

Jodi Mendelowitz, 48, of Kew Gardens, was arrested Monday -- hours after robbing both a bank and liquor store just 15 minutes apart.

Mom Arrested In Connection With 5 Queens Robberies
By STEPHANIE BARISH • wpix.com

QUEENS (WPIX) - A mom was nabbed by New York City police Monday afternoon in connection with several armed robberies that took place at various banks, restaurants and liquor stores in Queens, PIX 11 News has learned.

Jodi Mendelowitz, 48, of Kew Gardens, was arrested Monday -- hours after robbing both a bank and liquor store just 15 minutes apart. The mom-of-one first hit a Citibank -- located at 69-80 188 St -- where she flashed a silver gun, slipped a note to a teller, and demanded an undetermined amount of cash, according to authorities.

She next allegedly robbed a JR Discount Liquor store -- located at 164-24 69th Ave -- where she again apparently flashed a silver firearm to a cashier before making off with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Prior to robbing the liquor store, Mendelowitz is accused of walking into the Panda Garden Asian restaurant -- located at 147-01 Union Turnpke -- on Aug. 21 where she again flashed a gun and demanded cash. That same day, the suspect allegedly walked into Flushing Wine and Liquor store -- located at 59-04 Main Street -- flashed a gun and robbed the store of an undisclosed amount of cash.

On Aug. 20, she allegedly walked into the Expressway Wine and Liquor store -- located at 154-16 Horace Harding Expressway. In that instance, police said she approached the counter holding a large pocketbook and demanded cash.

In all incidents, police said Mendelowitz fled in a red car, possibly a Ford Taurus or Mercury Sable. In addition, she also wore a black wig, sunglasses, a long blue denim dress and a baseball hat.

Mendelowtiz is facing charges of robbery in the second and first degree, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal use of a firearm.

[Hat Tip: Seymour.]

Comments

[WoolSilkCotton]

VIN added the words 'orthodox Jewish mother' in the first sentence.

WPIX made no mention of religion.

[harold]

The string of robberies began on Friday night when Ms. Mendelowitz allegedly walked into a liquor store in Flushing and demanded cash while rummaging through a large pocketbook. On Saturday, just after midnight, she allegedly walked into a Chinese food restaurant and repeated the routine, this time showing a silver handgun, police said.

Orthodox? Yet she robbed a liquor store Friday night? Something is not kosher with the headline!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703447004575449940903764512.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

[seymour]

woolsilkcotton

I think wpix changed its headline.

A I remember seeing it mentioned
B if you do a search on goole news this is how the article comes up
Orthodox Jewish Mom Arrested In 5 Queens Robberies
New York's PIX11 / WPIX-TV - Stephanie Barish - ‎4 hours ago‎
Jodi Mendelowitz, 48, of Kew Gardens, was arrested Monday -- hours after robbing both a bank and liquor store just 15 minutes apart. The mom-of-one first ...

[seymour]

Orthodox? Yet she robbed a liquor store Friday night? Something is not kosher with the headline!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703447004575449940903764512.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Posted by: harold | August 24, 2010 at 08:58 PM

Harold you remind me of my neighbors from Boro Park.

It seems that doing something on shabbos is what contradicts Orthodox but not the holdups or stealing.

and that is the problem with the orthodox you put very little importance to bein adom lachavaro

[seymour]

at least she was still dressed tziunsdick and covered her hair, if not that would have been even worse than the robberies

[WoolSilkCotton]

Harold, as always defending frumma Jewish criminals, you are more concerned with her religious Shabbos violation than with her criminal act.

A frumma yiddina would plan her crimes around Shabbos, and certainly not during Shabbos. Otherwise, she can't be frum.

What a sociopathic mindset frumma yidden have.

[harold]

So "seymour" you are sticking with the accuracy of the story as posted. This is an Orthodox women who robs liquor stores and banks with a gun and also doesn't keep shabbos yet is still Orthodox. Any idea just what about her makes the authors think that she is Orthodox? Is it that she is wearing a long dress? Ah it must be the wig - a sheitel wearing frum woman who is an armed robber who also does not keep shabbos.

[WoolSilkCotton]

Do some googling, Harold.

Numerous websites, including frumma websites, describe her as orthodox.

I see no reason whatsoever to think she isn't.

[seymour]

harold

I said that wpix changed its headline.

Nevertheless it seems to me that you and my buddies in boro park asem to feel orthdox and stealing, fruad and holdup is not a contradiction to Orthodox Judaism and that is very sad

[seymour]

Harold, as always defending frumma Jewish criminals, you are more concerned with her religious Shabbos violation than with her criminal act.

A frumma yiddina would plan her crimes around Shabbos, and certainly not during Shabbos. Otherwise, she can't be frum.

What a sociopathic mindset frumma yidden have.

Posted by: WoolSilkCotton | August 24, 2010 at 09:18 PM
-------------------------------------------
you both are missing the boat. she is shommer shabbios.

A there is an erov, so no issue of carrying
B. It was not a gun, just some silver thing that is not mukzha
C. She never touch the money, it was put in her bag

There you go you can rob a store on shabbos and still be shommer shabbos, just need to be a little creative.

At least she does not listen to Kushie music

[Yochanan Lavie]

Apologies to Steve Miller Band:

This here's a story about Jodi Mendelowitz
A frum woman who might have lost her wits
She sat around the house, davened, and drank some Schlitz
And here is what happened when she decided to split

She headed down to, ooy, Flushing
That's where she started up a great big blushing
Jodi M. shot a man while robbing his earnings
Jodi M. took the money, she's frum

Go on take the money, I'm frum 4x

Stephanie is a reporter for W.P.I.X.
You know she knows just exactly what's the heck
She ain't gonna let that broad escape inspects
She makes her livin' off of the news biz

Jodi M., oy vey, she slipped away
Stephanie caught up to her the very next day
She got the money, hey
You know she got away
She headed to Brooklyn and she's still running today
Singin' go on take the money, I'm frum
Go on take the money, I'm frum 7x

[nachos]

"The mom-of-one first hit a Citibank -- located at 69-80 188 St -- where she flashed a silver gun, slipped a note to a teller, and demanded an undetermined amount of cash, according to authorities."

Let me guess, a single orthodox woman with a dead beat husband and Yeshiva tuition due this week.

[David]

Prior to robbing the liquor store, Mendelowitz is accused of walking into the Panda Garden Asian restaurant

I trust it was a kosher restaurant, at least.

[danny]

Cheers YL! This summer, I saw the Steve Miller Band perform a free 4th of July concert in Grant Park, Chicago.

[Doresh el HaMeisim]

I have an idea: we have to start calling them "Orthodox Style" or "Orthodox Looking". How about the 2 creeps that did gay sex in the shower on shabbos? Dressing in an orthodox fashion does not any more make you orthodox. For anyone that don't know what I am talking about and reads Yiddish, see: http://nochemrosenberg.blogspot.com/2010/08/just-like-generation-of-mabul.html

[Dr. Dave]

Once again Harold is using the No True Scotsman Fallacy mentioned by Shamarya recently.

This Fallacy is a form of circular argument.

1) Ms. Mendelowitz robbed a liquor store on Shabbat.

2) No true orthodox Jew would rob a liquor store on Shabbat.

3) Ms. Mendelowitz is not a true orthodox Jew.

Of course in actuality logic would dictate that Ms. Mendelowitz is a counter - example to statement #2 and Some orthodox Jews would rob a liquor store on Shabbat.

[nachos]

Of course in actuality logic would dictate that Ms. Mendelowitz is a counter - example to statement #2 and Some orthodox Jews would rob a liquor store on Shabbat.

Posted by: Dr. Dave | August 24, 2010 at 11:57 PM
However, a true orthodox Jew would not violate Shabbat to save the life of a gentile

[critical_minyan]

people perhaps she is innocent.
we should give her the benefit of the doubt.
maybe she didnt break the sabbath.
she could have walked to the liquor store.
maybe there is an eruv, so she was allowed to carry.

[Abracadabra]

Harold -

In Queens NY, Shabbos started at 7:29pm Friday night, and of course there is that extra 18 minutes (before chatzos), which means that she could have been robbing stores on Friday night until about 7:30pm and still have gotten home in time to be Shomer Shabbos.

Anyway, when other Jews do financial crimes, rob the government, insurance companies, etc, you don't question their Orthodoxy. Why not? Because they weren't caught doing their crime on Friday night?

[gershon]

she isnt orthodox or a mother of one....great reporting.

[ruthie]

let's have some understanding here. this is a woman desperate for money. let's have some compassion for her.
she didn't have anyone to help her.
i feel sorry for her and i, for one, will not judge her...but want to treat her kindly.
for those who respond to me...BUT she broke one of the 10 commandments ...don't say a word...you weren't there to help her.
maybe she asked for help first...and was turned down/away?

[Gladys]

Ruthie, isn't every robber "desperate for money" and therefore deserving of compassion for their desperation?

Or is it significant that "this is a WOMAN desperate for money" and therefore deserving (in her womanhood) of kindly feelings?

Do you feel any instant empathetic tug and protective instinct toward the female (goy) clerks who looked down the barrel of her gun?

But perhaps I missed some other news reports. Have they reported her as stealing money for her child's medicine or food?

[Mr. Apikoros]

Check out her picture in the NY Daily News. She certainly is frumpy enough to be Orthodox.

[Michelle]

B"H

Most likely this was to pay for the dayschool fees . . . (bank robbery, hmmmm . . .).

[Hometown Postville]

Let me guess, a single orthodox woman with a dead beat husband and Yeshiva tuition due this week. Posted by: nachos
You beat me to the punch! I was going to post: "What an Orthodox woman will do for her man!"

[Dr. Dave]

Let me guess, a single orthodox woman with a dead beat husband and Yeshiva tuition due this week.

48 year old women with no record don't start crime sprees for no reason. Something more must be going on here.

[Solomon Dwek]

The NY Daily News is reporting that she is mentally ill. They completely dropped the "orthodox" part of the report. The wig was used as a disguise, not part of her religious dress.

[WoolSilkCotton]

++ruthie | August 25, 2010 at 03:28 AM++

My compassion is reserved for the victims.

Once she serves her sentence, and goes for psychiatric treatment, and then apologizes to the victims, and they are satisfied with the sincerity of those apologies, I will reconsider having compassion for her.
Until then, I am not qualified to distribute compassion when others were the victims.

[WoolSilkCotton]

++...she is mentally ill...++

Further evidence of orthodoxy.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/
08/25/2010-08-25_cops_bust_woman_with_no_rap_sheet_in_
robbery_spree.html

She is dressed very tznius-dik. Short hair. Criminal mindset.

Case closed.

[Mikal W. Grass]

Nachos,

In Jerusalem some frum Yidden wouldn't violate Shabbat to save the lives of Jewish children.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Thanks, Danny.

[jay]

Her outfit doesn't appear to be typical of an orthodox woman. The hat and wig aren't a typical combination, nor is the dress. Looks to me more like someone trying (badly) to imitate orthodox garb.

[WoolSilkCotton]

Jay, hard to believe but true, that one can do a bad imitation of frumma women's garb.
As if the 'real' garb- frumpy too long denim skirt, sneakers and white socks, ill-fitted shlumpy blouse, wig and hat, don't look bad enough.

[harold]

Do some googling, Harold.

Numerous websites, including frumma websites, describe her as orthodox.

I see no reason whatsoever to think she isn't.

Just did, one by one the reference to Orthodox is disappearing. VIN simply says that she was Jewish. The last one standing will be FailedMessaih. This because this is an obsession against the Orthodox, there is very semblance to being a news outlet.

Yech, I hate the media. They are an uncontrolled wild bunch not subjected to any semblance of checks and balances that are built into our society.

[harold]

make that

very little semblance

[Barry]

I wonder is this Frummer Yid was sanctioned by what Hashgacga? Was the Rabbi perhaps under her dress, giving her advice?
When will all the antisemitism, and the rest of the hogwash begin in order to protect her?
Absolutlely amazing, that a Yiddish a Mama should be so nefarious as this. If found guilty will she be ok with the Hashgaga on the food or will she have a police Captain going to bring her special food from Alle and her own Rabbi?
Sheer insanity.

[Shmarya]

Just did, one by one the reference to Orthodox is disappearing.

That's because someone is sending emails to site owners saying he is her neighbor and he knows she is not Orthodox.

The problem is, no person by the name used in his email is listed in Queens, and no person by that name shows up in other types of name registries for the State of New York.

I checked. I'll bet you other sites did not.

[Mr. Apikoros]

The various online directories and name registries, such as peoplefinders, are a year or two out-of-date. So just because you can't find it doesn't mean the person doesn't live there, he could have moved into the building as long as two years ago and not show up on the lists.

A better way to check the info is to use a phone directory such as whitepages.com, do a search on the address (she lives in an apartment house), then call a few of the neighbors, especially those with Jewish last names. Even though the information is old, most residents will still live there.

[Mr. Apikoros]

Here's a little tip. According to whitepages.com, there are three people who share the same phone number as Jodi Mendelowitz. The other two appear to be a couple with a non-Jewish last name. If you do a search on her, you'll find it. While Mendelowitz is most likely in the slammer, you can call the people living with her and ask if Ms. Mendelowitz is an Orthodox Jew.

[chabib]

If she had a laision with a chap
while holding him at gun oint, she
would take his breath away.

[Mr. Apikoros]

Interestingly enough, a person listed as the owner of 147-33 72 Drive (two blocks away), in Flushing is named Leiby Tropper.

[critical_minyan]

If I remember correctly, I have had sexual relations with Jodi Mendelowitz, around 20 years ago, back in Yeshiva high school. If i remember correctly, she was orthodox in that she wore a skirt. But my memory is getting frazzled it could have been a judy mendlowitz. either way, i strongly recommend anyone named mendlowitz or moscowitz for that matter as well.

[Mr. Apikoros]

This woman isn't attractive enough to be named Judy. All the Judys (not Judiths)I've ever known are gorgeous. Well, most of 'em.

[harold]

Interesting bit of circular reporting. First WPIX reports her as being Orthodox and Mr Rosenberg picks up on this. Then WPIX drops the claim of her being Orthodox. Now Gothamist picks up the story and says that she is Orthodox because FailedMessaih says so.

The game of telephone at its finest. So now the sorce of being Orthodox is FM whose origional source is no more. The media game is sick!

http://gothamist.com/2010/08/25/queens_mom_goes_on_five_store_robbe.php

[Shmarya]

The game of telephone at its finest. So now the sorce of being Orthodox is FM whose origional source is no more. The media game is sick!

Not really.

If WPIX made a mistake, it should have printed a retraction.

It did not.

Until it does, or until real evidence to the contrary surfaces, no one other than WPIX has done anything wrong.

[harold]

Until it does, or until real evidence to the contrary surfaces

Just love this - Guilty until proven innocent!

[Shmarya]

Just love this - Guilty until proven innocent!

You really are a bit dull.

As I pointed out above, the person emailing various websites with the claim she is not Orthodox does not appear to exist.

Additionally, it is very common for haredim and MO Jews to claim a deviant person is not Orthodox when that person really is.

A recent example of this is the Chabad Birthright trip to Hebron.

You may recall I identified the trip as Chabad, and then several people claiming to have inside knowledge complained and said it was not a Chabad trip.

It turned out they were lying.

This type of behavior is very common.

What we know about this particular woman is that WPIX identified her as Orthodox, she has a Jewish name, and she lives about a block from kosher restaurants, stores, and other Orthodox institutions in a neighborhood that is heavily Orthodox.

Additionally, most Jews living in that neighborhood are Orthodox.

To say "Guilty until proven innocent!" is to ignore the available facts.

[WoolSilkCotton]

The word 'orthodox' was pulled because of political correctness. I thought frumma taycheser like you, Harold, were against political correctness.

Evidence of orthodoxy: fat, frumpy, frum dressed, living in a frum part of Brooklyn, Jewish name, criminal. That isn't enough evidence of being a frumma yiddina?

Evidence against: Committed crime on Shabbos, so anonymous blogger Harold from Long Island say she isn't orthodox. Is that all you've got, Harold?

[harold]

Evidence of orthodoxy:

Fat ?

Frumpy ?

frum dressed – you have got to be kidding!

living in a frum part of Brooklyn - Kew Gardens is not in Brooklyn

From Wikipedia:
As of 2000 U.S. Census, the demographics were 66.2% White, 13.0% Asian, 7.0% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 7.4%,Other and Hispanic or Latino were 20.0% of the population. The neighborhood's demographics have since changed, however. The Hispanic and Asian populations have grown significantly over the past decade. Current U.S. Census estimates place the Kew Gardens population at more than 25,769
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kew_Gardens,_Queens

Jewish name – true

Criminal ?

[WoolSilkCotton]

++Kew Gardens is not in Brooklyn++

In Queens, a few blocks east of Brooklyn. Like it matters at all.

[Menachem Mendel lll]

Clearly this yiddisheh mamaleh needs to go to chayder to hone her skills.

Unlike most of you posting negative and condesending comments I believe she will improve and will not get caught next time, b'ezrat Ha'shem.

[Mr. Apikoros]

A few miles, actually, WSC. Kew Gardens is still heavily Jewish, although there's an overflow from Flushing which is now mostly Chinese.

Now I'll bet Jodi Mendelowitz is in fact Orthodox, at least MO. Her long sleeves and long skirt in August give it away. Not quite as much as a black suit, white shirt, and black hat, but close enough.

She should change her name from "Jodi" to something else, perhaps Sylvia, mainly because she looks like my Aunt Sylvia did when she was Jodi's age. "Jodi" is too much like "Judy" and this woman isn't attractive enough to be a "Jodi" much less a "Judy."

And as to whether most Judys are gorgeous, I'll be the "Judge" of that.

[critical_minyan]

I knew a modern orthodox/baal teshuvah whore from kew gardens. her name was miki the milf.
google her. she's dead now of a liver infection.

[harold]

I knew a modern orthodox/baal teshuvah whore from kew gardens. her name was miki the milf.
google her. she's dead now of a liver infection.

I don't know, I, as you suggested Googled her. How could she be Orthodox? Is she:
(1) Fat - No
(2) Frumpy - No
(3) Frum dressed -No

[em]

Probably the wife or daughter of unorthodoxjew!