Hundreds of members of the Borough Park Orthodox community took to the streets Tuesday night in protest of new state-mandated restrictions imposed on area synagogues, schools and non-essential businesses over a COVID-19 surge, the NY Post reported.
The rules are divided into zones and include in one area Houses of worship – 25% capacity, 10 people maximum, Mass gatherings prohibited, Nonessential businesses closed, Takeout dining only and Schools closed.
In another zone, Houses of worship are only allowed 33% capacity, 25 people maximum and Mass gatherings at 10 people maximum, indoor and outdoor.
The order came down following days of public back-and-forth between Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio, who announced the shutdown in nine ZIP codes in New York where there has been an uptick of COVID cases.
Much of Borough Park is subject to those measures — the most restrictive — which also shutter non-essential businesses. The level of restrictions, broken down into three color-coded categories, is guided by coronavirus diagnosis data.
One large crowd huddled closely together at the corner of 50th Street and 15th Avenue at about 9 p.m. as community activist Heshy Tischler ripped Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio over the order that shuts down schools completely and limits houses of worship to 10 people in certain COVID-19 hot spots.
“It’s called civil disobedience, we can fight back,” Tischler told the crowd after tearing up his face mask. “Do not allow them to torture you or scare you,” he said, referring to the elected officials, the NY Post reported..
Councilman Kalman Yeger later showed up at another protest on 13th Avenue, according to Boro Park News.
There, the lawmaker told the crowd: “We are not going to be deprived of the right that we have in America, like everybody else in America, the right to observe our religion.”
The protests continued into the night, with hundreds gathering around a rubbish fire lit in protest. Police later shut down 13th Avenue to traffic.
NEW YORK: Huge crowds of Orthodox Jews gather in Brooklyn burning piles of face masks to protest synagogue closures by Governor Cuomo. pic.twitter.com/tlYqunik7U
— SV News 🚨 (@SVNewsAlerts) October 7, 2020
Earlier in the night, 4 Jewish lawmakers released a statement criticizing the Governor’s edict.
Senator Simcha Felder, Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein, Councilman Chaim Deutsch and Councilman Kalman Yeger wrote:
“We are appalled by Governor Cuomo’s words and actions today. He has chosen to pursue a scientifically and constitutionally questionable shutdown of our communities. His administration’s utter lack of coordination and communication with local officials has been an ongoing issue since the start of the pandemic, and particularly recently as we face this uptick. Though we are the representatives of “hotspot” neighborhoods, we have been disincluded from conversations with the governor and his leadership team as they made devastating decisions affecting the people we serve.
“What occurred today can only be described as a duplicitous bait-and-switch. The governor informed Jewish community leaders in a conference call that synagogues in “red zones” would be permitted to operate at 50%, and he requested community cooperation (which he was assured would happen). Outrageously, just hours later, Governor Cuomo announced a draconian return to restrictions that would shutter thousands of New York businesses and limit houses of worship to a maximum capacity of 10 (no matter the maximum capacity of the building).
“Even worse, his rhetoric in recent days has been irresponsible and pejorative, particularly to a community of Holocaust survivors and their descendants, for whom his language was reminiscent of past verbal attacks on Jewish communities. Governor Cuomo’s choice to single out a particular religious group, complete with a slideshow of photos to highlight his point, was outrageous. His language was dangerous and divisive, and left the implication that Orthodox Jews alone are responsible for rising COVID cases in New York State. This implication is not born out by the state’s own data.
“We will continue to encourage total compliance with mask-wearing and social distance guidelines in our communities. In recent weeks, we have seen a vast increase in compliance throughout our communities. We have personally organized massive mask distributions in areas that have seen an uptick in positive cases – distributing hundreds of thousands of masks to our constituents. Sadly, instead of working alongside our community to build on our work, the governor has instead chosen to respond with threats and aggressive enforcement — a tactic which has historically failed in all communities throughout New York.
“That said, it is disgraceful that Governor Cuomo would impose these restrictions targeting our community in the midst of our Jewish holidays. Because of his unilateral and irresponsible acts, our community is rightfully shocked, angered and highly frustrated. Americans are constitutionally permitted to worship freely, and Governor Cuomo may be assured that we intend to exercise that right without his interference. G-d Bless America.”
Yes thank you! Fully support! (Except for the fire but whatever)
When is the next protest?
Tonight
What on earth?
Are we stooping to the lowest level???
Come on.
We’re way better than them.
It’s a peaceful protest! And that means a fire is included!
As you can see they are not rioting and looting and setting fires to property so yes they are not stooping low.
That’s how it’s done. They need to keep at this until they get the shuls and schools back open
This is insane! They make Jews look terrible. It’s not “cool” and will absolutely not get their schools open.
As if they ever closed any way.
They have the the full right
Until blm showed that there was no way to appease them,the protest worked for them,they defunded new york police 1 million dollars.
So who said it cant work
Correction
*1 billion dollars
Just don’t burn down businesses. Swarming and harassing Cuomo and De Blasio’s goons and the media is even better and more effective.
do see anyone over 18 – heshy clown tischler sent a wahats ap that action coming to 13 ave so bucherim ran over for night activity .. not a protest , no responsible organizers
remember most simchas beis hashove & many tischen cancelled .. so this was fun
I would love to see a federal lawsuit against Cuoma and DeBlasio fr discrimination.
RIGHHHHHHHHT!!!! That would be nice… but CH is too liberal instead of thinking of us they go to a BLM protest…. shame …
Well said
These are not “state mandated” restrictions , theses are G-D MANDATED restrictions not to put one self & others in a life threatening situation. These are not “Frum community “ protests. Frum people don’t stage anti Torah protests.
This is gross chillul Hashem using Torah as an excuse to promote their own desires.
I am absolutely embarrassed to be associated with these lunatics. I have to tell my non Jewish and non frum friends that these people are crazy weirdos and not like my community. It’s not normal.
I 100% agree! This is a HUGE Chillel Hashem and won’t be gaining anything! Sometimes we must speak up but over here all your gaining is thousands of people reporting us as morons and we are HELPING spread Corona. It’s stuff like this that help corona spread, if we’d stay calm then this thing can actually END
Liberal CH needs to take notes!
I can’t believe that we are trying to copy the goyim.
This is not the way we operate. Making fires… Screaming in the street… Causing unrest….
When there was that BLM protest in CH everyone was supportive, yes they had to support the black community etc its all good.
But after months of ACTUAL ANTISEMITISM we Jews ought to stand up for ourselves, don’t you think?
There is a noticeable lack of compliance in Jewish communities to wear masks. Walk down Kingston. Jews should always stand up for themselves but not sure being asked to wear masks is an example of anti semitism.
“Dont tread on me” have you heard of that?
Trump2020
And why would that be? Because they’ve been so supportive of us all these years? How soon one forgets.
That’s why its important to defend religious rights ! Some of you didn’t agree with the idea of a religious exemption to vaccination , however that a what opened the door to the legislators callaus disregard for religious rights over the ‘greater good for society”. The fact is NY state public health code for decades did acknowledge on religious grounds rhe right to decline regardless if YOU agreed, you should have had the foresight to stand by the families that utilized this . We didn’t defend this as a United front and now many of you are complaining now !Those… Read more »
Lol there is no such thing as a religious exemption..when did our religion say no medicine, science, vaccines? If you decide you do not want your kids to get vaccines, do not blame it on Judaism plz.
seriously this is just embarrassing.
They know they can get away with harassing Jews . They would never do this to the blacks( in addition it’s not politically correct, but against Jews it doesn’t matter) Jews must stand up to the bla ya to anti-semitism
They beat up and arrest black people instead.
If you have not seen them yet please look at the videos from Rabbi Smith.
Rabbi yitzchok Smith
Emes.news
The cult of scarcity vs. the G-d of abundance
Clearly and incredibly explains the cultural war going on here and how to free your mind from the onslaught of mind control and fear
Shame on them for taking it to the streets like this. Yidden should know better to follow all protocols that are place. By not following the order of the Gov. or any other official is disgraceful. Wearing a mask is a protective measure that needs to be adhered to no excuses too many people are dying!!
We are a free people. Will not bow or bend for celebrating sukkos or learning torah. We will fight to save lives by promoting life saving treatment and not by forcing/shaming everyone into wearing masks that were never designed to catch a virus. That’s the science
In case you haven’t noticed, jews have been sitting like sheep following everything the governor says, and look where it got us. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! it’s time to stand up for our rights, we are american citizens and we have our rights, this isn’t about covid and never was
This is not what Jews do! Now they’re acting like BLM!
Many studies have proven that masks don’t work for covid-19. Google It. Google ‘Masks don’t work for covid-19’ And you will find the proof. There is absolutely no good double blind study to prove that masks are at all effective, against covid-19. Those who push the ineffective masks are basing it on junk science. Enough with the Masks Baloney. Purim Masks are only for Purim. Those who use masks all year long reflect that their mind is gone and they are Drunk, , like on Purim, ‘Ad Deloy Yadda’, with Junk Science ‘Purim Masks’ which is joke mask and doesn’t… Read more »
What a disgrace and chillul hashem. We have brought this upon ourselves by not wearing masks and practicing basic social distancing. Now with things getting out of control, we have no one to blame but ourselves.
Open the chedarim and yeshivas even on chol hamoed. These youngsters need more Torah learning. The voice is the voice of Torah learning, not mass protests that are a chilul Hashem. Doctors say masks protect. Where’s the ahavas Yisroel?
I’m pro the protests-showing that ridiculous government that they can’t just do whatever they want with us, but…If everyone is on the streets protesting they might as well set up music and dance Simchas Bai’s! wouldn’t that be a more positive way and a more respectful positive way to protest?
B”H
Use the nights of Succos for Simcha and dancing, not protests. Simcha poretz geder. Be happy! Make others happy!
As a Jew who happens to also be black…I didn’t support the BLM riots and burning in the height of the BLM protests and I don’t support this now. I am also a medical professional, and its not rocket science that masks help prevent spread. PRIMARILY if that person is infected. Its not an infringing on peoples rights thing… its a simple veahata l’reacha kamoicha thing its an ahavas yisroel thing. If everyone would accept a temporary inconvenience for long term gains…WHY NOT? I do support the CONCEPT black lives do matter, not only, but inclusively… I do not support… Read more »
Biggest chillul Hashem in our lifetime.
Just a major chillul hashem .
And then they cry “anti semitism” when the government starts shutting things down… Its not anti semitism, its a natural consequence.