By COLlive reporter
A group of physicians and Hatzalah coordinators in Crown Heights are doubling down on the public call by the Badatz Crown Heights for guests not to visit the community in light of the Covid-19 outbreak.
Despite an estimated 60-70% of adults in the community already being infected, the medical professionals are concerned that visitors from around the country and abroad may infect those who remain vulnerable to the pandemic.
The following is their public letter sent to COLlive.com on Tuesday:
17 Sivan 5780
An open letter to all Anash, globally, from Chabad physicians living in Crown Heights:
Gimmel Tammuz is just a few short weeks away, and we wish that we would not have to write this appeal, knowing how important a visit to our Rebbe on this day is to so many of us.
After weathering a dreadful outbreak of Covid-19 locally, there remains a significant number of our elderly here in the Crown Heights community who remain at risk for contracting the virus and potentially becoming seriously ill (ch”v).
Presently, we believe that one of the most important factors protecting this vulnerable population is the fact that they are mostly be surrounded by people who have already been sick and are presumably immune.
However, if this year on Gimmel Tammuz we are visited by Anash from other communities around the world that are in different phases of this pandemic, and these guests either carry the virus with them from their community or contract it along their journey here, then this could pose a real risk of infecting those vulnerable members of our community.
Therefore, we are making the following bakasha nafshis: This year Gimmel Tammuz (and the surrounding days), please do not plan to come to Crown Heights. As hard as it is to make this request from our fellow members of Anash, we feel that the safety of our own precious ziknei anash and other vulnerable individuals compels us to do so.
In the merit of this mesiras nefesh, may we, as one k’hal chassidim, be speedily reunited with our Rebbe, before Gimmel Tammuz, in Yerushalayim.
Respectfully,
Dr. Mordechai Apfelbaum
Dr. Simcha Yaakov Dubroff
Dr. Reuven Feldman
Dr. Dovid Feldman
Dr. Moshe Gaerman
Dr. Baruch Grossman
Dr. Refael Ilyayev
Dr. Reuven Ingber
Dr. Shlomo Minkowitz
Dr. Zev Nelken
Dr. Shlomo Neufield
Dr. Elie Rosen
Dr. Chaim Schwartzberg
Dr. Libbat Shaham
Crown Heights Hatzalah coordinators: R’ Avraham Bistritsky, R’ JJ Katz, R’ Menachem Mendel Gorodetsky, Rabbi Yosef Simpson and R’ Yossi Friedman.
There will be those who will respect this and listen, and unfortunately those who will ignore and still come
Its not a question of respect. Its not a close place with a door, ppl will come, ppl need air, ppl need to travel, and they will do it bh with keeping the medical ways that are known everywhere- mask, gloves, etc.
distinguished guests from Crown Heights and Monsey who came special to attend a wedding in kfar Chabad were not placed in quarantine for two weeks…
it seems it is not so dangerous to fly between ny and israel
See pictures on col.org.il
This may linger for several years Does that mean we should not come for the next 10 years ???
Exactly. Listen to what they say until it’s clear
You obviously didn’t feel the magnitude of the tragedies that occurred.
I’m sure they will cross the bridge and reassess when we get to the next big date in jewish calendar.
Yes!
But just YOU — for the next 10 years.
OTHER GUESTS with a better, more compassionate attitude WILL BE welcome when the time comes that we can safely welcome guests to Crown Heights.
So build walls and gates around ch and make sure ppl wont come. Its not making sense, sorry
walls and gates around ch? just close the doors of your homes to guests…do not accommodate them and they will not come
My thought exactly, even with these letters people will come especially for Tishrei, telling people not to and expecting everyone to listen is like putting your head in the sand.
We need to find a different way to protect our vulnerable population one that is actually practical
what do you suggest? we need to keep guests out….there are enough people here at risk
People who haven’t been here don’t understand the magnitude of what we’ve gone through. I live on a quiet block, I’ve never heard so many ambulances in such short intervals. Day and night every 2-3 min ( Not exaggerating). Do you know what it’s like to look out your window and watch bodies being rolled into TRUCKS all day?! Like they’re disposable tissues. These bodies were our next door neighbors, they were our friends, our colleagues, and most of all our families. They were here yesterday, we laughed shabbos day as we sat on our porches, or met at work… Read more »
The situation you describe is what took place in March and beginning of April. It is now mid-June, and there haven’t been new cases in Crown Heights for over 6 weeks. What went on here back then was terrible, but that can’t happen again.
we can’t let it happen again by letting in guests who can infect people and spread corona here once again…there are 30 to 40 percent of crown heights who have not had it yet….let’s make sure that they don’t get it…there have not been new cases because there are not people to catch it from but bring in people from other places and it will not take long. protect our community
OBVIOSLY THE RESIDENT DONT ENDORSE THIS EVEN THIS WEBSITE IS ADVERTISING GREAT DEALS FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS IN CH
The above comment is foolish and disingenuous.
It is obvious that in a number of months a reassessment of the situation will be made.
At this time we should follow the directive of our Beis Din and the request from our doctors
What about just flying in and going to the Ohel ( outdoors). Is that OK?
Of course flying in to come just to the Ohel is ok.
This letter is specifically ONLY about coming to the Crown Heights neighborhood. This has nothing to do with going to the Ohel (in queens).
#1
ITS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE. OF COURSE THEY SHOULDNT TURN UP. AND WHAT IF YOUR PARENTS ENDED UP ON A VENTILATOR OR HAD THEIR LEGS AMPUTATED FROM BLOOD CLOTS!
WHAT PART OF PIKUACH NEFESH SECONA NEFOSHOIS DONT YOU GET? VNISHMARTEM AL NAFSHOSEICHEM!
Simple as that!
Now that CH has been through that terrible ordeal, it’s over, everyone has already gotten sick or has had prolonged exposure to the virus. Waving a pikuach nefesh flag is dishonest and anxiety inducing, please stop it.
you know better than the medical professionals? or is everyone just disposable to you because you and your holy family have been sick? my family has not been sick yet…none of us…not my parents or my grandparents and we would like to keep it that way. we are all in this together.
Not everyone got sick. There are old and young that are still vulnerable. Many people were careful and kept social distancing and stayed home. We are still not over with it.
you are so right. this is a pandemic and far far from over. let’s not have funerals as our daily activities again
that’s my uncle
What if u had it already?
Why does that make u different than anyone in CH?
To #1
Its not rocket science! Of course no one should come to crown heights and risk infecting ziknei anash. Which part of over 40,000 dead in new york dont you get? Would you want your parents on a ventilator for 2 months chas vesholom or legs amputated from coveid blood clots, rachmono litzlon?
Vnishmartem al nafshoseichem
Are the doctors only referring to the elderly and vulnerable who have not been infected with Covid-19? Or are the elderly and vulnerable who survived the virus still considered high risk?
…and out of the compassion and courtesy you show by not coming, us Crown Heightsers will daaven for everyone.
Anybody that comes into Crown Heights despite these stern warnings is a Rodef. They should not be given any accommodations when/if they come the Schunah and they should be barred from the Ohel for a lifetime.
as harsh as it may seem whoever comes despite this severe warning does not care that he is putting lives at risk.
Despite having crazy work hours with this situation… he is always available to our shul members, any time of day or night to hear us out, and explain us so much of which us simple people dont understand
Are the vulnerable staying home or are they going out ? If they are staying home as they should, why would it be a problem if guests would come?
Is there anyone in CH who hasn’t gotten sick? If you haven’t gotten sick, have you attended the same shuls, weddings, schools etc. as those who have gotten sick? If the answer is yes and all that exposure hasn’t gotten to you until now, why should it get to you now? If the answer is no, are you sure you live in CH?
did you not read the above letter from 19 professionals? but yet you have the audacity to say that you are smarter than they are and know better. or is it that you could care less about anyone else but yourself….and in your extreme selfishness are ready to throw anyone under the bus and dance at their funerals because you want life as normal to resume. your comment is the most ridiculous one ever…you should win a prize
At the moment, being a medical professional doesn’t help much in understanding the pathogenicity of covid-19. Besides, what did it cost these professionals to say what they did, did they have anything to lose by saying “keep away”?
do we have anything to lose by saying keep away??? we lost so many people why do we have to lose more? i guess you think you know better and dont mind putting people at risk if you are wrong.
Are there new cases or not?
bring in people from out of the neighborhood and they will bring corona right back here and then you won’t have to wonder if there are new cases or not as your neighbors and relatives will be sick and dying
A true chosid will not come here and will listen to the Rabbonim and medical doctors. Whether you had it or not, please dont come. There is so much unknown about this virus. We had way too many losses, way too much suffering. Please stay home. Have Ahavas Yisroel. Please. It’s just plain selfishness not to listen.
it will be very telling to see who the people are who come anyway…and how interesting that they think there is any value to their trip to the Rebbe when they specifically act against everything the Rebbe said
For those arguing to come, why don’t you simply ask someone who lost their loved one to this virus? Or ask the members of chevra kadisha what it was like to have back to back Taharas to do. How emotional and hard it was for us to bury people who lost their lives to this terrible virus right and left. Although it’s a wonderful thing to come to the Rebbe for his yartzeit and be able to daven, you are missing the point, no one is stopping you from coming and doing that. Go to the Ohel and go back… Read more »
For those arguing to come, why don’t you simply ask someone who lost their loved one to this virus. Or ask the members of chevra kadisha what it was like to have back to back Taharas to do. How emotional and hard it was for us to bury people who lost their lives to this terrible virus right and left. Although it’s a wonderful thing to come to the Rebbe for his yartzeit and be able to daven, you are missing the point, no one is stopping you from coming and doing that. Go to the Ohel and go back… Read more »
CH belongs to everyone ! most people visiting CH are either from there originally ( which means they have family they have parents , siblngs , children and grandchildren living there they need to see ) the singles left for pesach but couldn’t get back in and now they need to get back already , their lives are there , a lot of shluchim need to go back just for many reasons and ppl like me who have lived there for many years before but not living there now feel a desperate need to go every so often for that… Read more »
just shoot everyone you see….maybe you will hit them and maybe you won’t…..that is the same by what you are doing by coming to crown heights against the doctors guidance. DO NOT COME. YOU MAY KILL PEOPLE. but i guess you dont care and are williing to gamble with other peoples lives. how disgusting of you. shoot people with a gun…at least then you will know the consequences of your action and people can see you coming and try to get out of your way.
It seems like a HUGE thing to ask, especially to those that come every year. BUT, just for a moment, think about all those that could not attend their own family member’s levaya, could not sit shiva with siblings, could not say kaddish for their parent ALL TO PROTECT THE NEXT YID!! Please, hold back, in respect for the people that have already suffered so much, including you from out of town I’m sure No, it wont be forever, but pikuach nefesh means breaking a halacha of shabbos, in order to honor many more shabosos. So too, one Gimmel Tammuz,… Read more »
Honored doctors, you are going to say “what’s 400 shekels between me and you”, it’s “only” parnassa; big deal so our travel related short term rental crashed, all of our bookings were cancelled, we have not earned a cent since Purim, and have not been able to make any mortgage payments. (Long term tenants, short story; problems) We have waited for three months for travel to resume, but now see that according to this directive, it’s over forever!!! Big deal, so we don’t know when we will have to surrender our house to the bank. Their patience will run out… Read more »
i think before asking all out of towners not to come maybe speak to the intowners themselves that they should be careful too wearing masks and social distancing! They r also going around places where the virus is still going quite strong. noone knows 100% that if u got it and have antibodies etc u r protected from getting it again or still shedding to others…….
i think that before telling other people what they cant and can do tell ur community first!
None of the precautions are a sure way of avoiding the virus. They are implemented to REDUCE the chance of contracting it. Wearing masks are important and it’s been mentioned in almost every update from the Gedalia Society. Asking outsiders to refrain from visiting CH is another precaution. If five people don’t listen it’s to be expected. If 500 disobey it, it may be a tragedy.
Let the visitors go to the Ohel, and the CH residents stay here in CH that week (Without going to the Ohel) so that the vistors won’t effect any CH residents
If we had the power to collect taxes from guests, we could then do like Eretz Yisrael did: Put all guests into special, guarded quarantine hotels for the first two weeks of their visit.
This would be paid for with a guest tax, with any excess going to Ahavas Chesed, Bikur Cholim. Chevrah Kadisha, etc.
To those in Crown Heights JUST STAY HOME for the week of Gimmel Tammuz, so you wont meet with us, and let us come to The Rebbe
To all those in Crown Height who got the virus, and most likely gave in to others, ( even killing them): Where were you in Febraury/March why didn’t you isolate. You knew since February that the virus was on the way. But you didn’t care to harm others. All of a sudden you are worried and tell Shluchim don’t come for Gimmel Tammuz
yes so now we know and have buried so many of our people….you are right we should have taken precautions and we were wrong very very wrong not to….so now we should bury more people? should we compound our previous stupidity with more or learn from our mistakes and restrict visitors from coming here so we don’t have once again a daily schedule of funerals?
Doctors were misdiagnosing people for a MONTH!!!! Crown Heights didn’t know about coronavirus! We weren’t following the news with bated breath. In February NO ONE KNEW!!!!
JEWISH LIVES MATTER
Before the Rabbis closed the Shuls on 22 Adar (March 18) there was hardly any deaths. The next 3 weeks were the worst After the Shuls reopened no-one B’H got the disease. When they closed the Mikvas there were about 75 Taharos. I hope “distancing” people from the Rebbe won’t cause any problems
There is a wild fight in shomayim to bring Moshiach!
That argument is the test- We can guarantee that the Frum people will stop going to minyonim and even their Rabbis will guarantee that.
We can guarantee that mikvohs will be closed and once again brought on by The rabbis .
We will make sure that the children will not attend yeshivohs, These tests were failed with flying colors.
But there is one more test . It’s called Hachnosas Orchim. Let’s not fail this one too!