Transitions: - The Jewish Theological Seminary

Fire and Personal Safety Policy
Item 1: The following items are absolutely prohibited from the residence halls without exception:
-Alcohol (forbidden in MSRH only)
-Candles (except those used for Shabbat / Havdalah / Yom Tov)
-Corrosive, explosive, or inflammable devices, liquids, or materials
-Drugs and drug paraphernalia
-Full-size refrigerators (unless provided by JTS in a common or shared kitchen)
-Halogen lamps
-Incense
-Large personal furniture that is too large for the living space or common area
-Microwaves (except in common/apartment kitchens)
-Open-coil heating or cooking appliances, including toaster ovens
-Pets
-Weapons, firecrackers, explosives, or ammunition
Item 2: Shabbat Candle Lighting Policy: If students would like to light candles for Shabbat and
holidays they may only use tea light candles. These candles must be placed in the kitchen, kept
in metal cooking tins, and never left unattended. The lighting of candles anywhere else in the
building is prohibited.
Item 3: Cooking is not permitted in resident rooms due to the laws of kashrut, fire safety, and
pest control. Cooking is restricted to the kosher kitchen areas.
Item 4: Window decorations, tapestries, bedding, and other flammable materials may not rest
on radiators and must be kept at least four inches from all heating units. Holiday lights are
permitted; however, these must be UL listed and may not be hung near posters or other
flammable materials.
Item 5: Stringing clothes lines, lights, wires, tapestries, posters, or any other decorations from or
across the ceiling is strictly forbidden. Any and all room decorations of any kind may not be
hung or attached any higher than eight inches from the ceiling.
Item 6: Windows, hallways, and entrances may not be covered with anything besides JTS
shades or blinds with the sole exception of curtains hung from tension rods over windows that
do not block egress in the event of an emergency.
Item 7: Tampering with, dismantling, or covering smoke detectors or fire system equipment is
absolutely forbidden. Such behavior will be treated like arson and is subject to fines and serious
disciplinary action.
Item 8: All residents are required to evacuate the residence halls when building fire alarms are
sounded for any reason, without exception.
Item 9: All pathways to modes of egress in private spaces and common areas are to be kept
clear at all times.
Item 10: Smoking is not permitted anywhere in any JTS residence hall, including all bedrooms
and common areas of Brush, Goldsmith, and Mathilde Schechter residence halls.
Back to top
17