For months, protestors were in the streets in NYC, rioters destroyed countless stores and caused millions of dollars in damages while the government largely watched and allowed dismay in the city.
COVID is a worldwide pandemic which must be taken seriously by all communities – yet the Jewish community is the only one which has repeatedly been threatened and criticized by Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio – a blatant double standard.
When Governor Cuomo announces today that “New York state will withhold funding from local governments that fail to enforce closures and social distancing in “red zone” hotspots, as well as from schools in those hotspots that refuse to shutter,” saying “Ramapo, Spring Valley, Orange, Rockland, we need real enforcement”, that is a double standard against Orthodox Jewish areas.
The Wall Street Journal was right this week in its editorial which noted, “..the Governor singled out religious institutions in “hot zones” for special limits. No more than 10 people allowed. A quorum of 10 men is the bare minimum for key Jewish prayers. Worse, the cap is disconnected from the science: Many synagogues are built to seat hundreds, if not thousands, and far more than 10 can pray safely.”
If large restaurants can open indoors, then why can’t synagogues?
Of course, rules should be followed, but this is selective and discriminatory enforcement.
The WSJ continued, “On Thursday the Governor even made the sweeping accusation that the Haredi community has never followed the Covid rules. New York’s Orthodox Jews have reason to feel scapegoated. Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Governor treat them as perpetrators, not victims, of Covid-19, and act as if theirs are the only communities with rising infection rates. Some other minority communities in Queens have higher rates.”
Months ago, de Blasio complained about a large outdoor funeral for an Orthodox rabbi, threatening “the Jewish community,” but in June he attended an even larger Black Lives Matter protest – how is that ok?
It brings to light Mayor de Blasio’s comments that protests about racism are acceptable, but religious services are not, when he said “When you see a nation, an entire nation simultaneously grappling with an extraordinary crisis seeded in 400 years of American racism, I’m sorry, that is not the same question as the understandably aggrieved store owner or the devout religious person who wants to go back to services.”
What he is saying is certain gatherings are ok – others are not.
Ed Mechmann, director of public policy for the Archdiocese of New York was correct when he wrote, “It is clear that in the eyes of our government officials, the politically preferred viewpoint of anti-racism is favored and allowed, while the unpopular one of religious worship is belittled and denigrated.”
Simply, rules must be enforced equally – if people can protest, so too can they pray. If people can gather outdoors for rallies against racism, so too must they be allowed to gather for anything they wish outdoors. If people can eat at restaurants indoors, they must be allowed to pray indoors.
There is a blatant double standard taking place among Cuomo and de Blasio who don’t allow 11 Jews to pray together, but praise and allow huge protests in New York City. There are many reasons not to attend gatherings – and I wont – but if people choose to, they should social distance, but threats against New Yorkers should be enforced equally not in a discriminatory manner. Double standards must end.
Ronn Torossian is a NYC based entrepreneur and Public Relations executive.
To this rightful man who wrote this article!!
they should all carry BLM signs then the mayor will allow it
Thank you for sharing this.
These are sad times for Yidden when there is such blatant anti Semitic feelings.
And those who act and speak in ways causing Chillul Hashem,…. make everything worse.
Agreed that there is a double standard and they are going after the Orthodox neighborhoods but…. maybe if you went under the radar a bit more, it would help. We were in Crown Heights this summer and saw that barely anyone was wearing a mask. Were we live most people wear even if they have had corona already, even if they think its ridiculous and think this will all go away after the election. They wear them as a courtesy to others and to not make a Hillul Hashem. You have created a Hillul Hashem. They are going after you… Read more »
#1 as someone who doesn’t live in ch you have no idea what is the actual situation is on the ground. #2 if the government is truly anti semitic as this article (truthfully) points out, they will target us no matter how many masks we wear.
They were after us from the start no matter what. This isnt new. and in the summer, nobody was wearing masks in the area. This wasnt specific to Jews.
Do not lie to make your point. In manhattan and park slope everyone wore masks all summer long despite the heat even people who were riding bikes or running
Do not lie to make your point.
In CROWN HEIGHTS. This was the situation. At beginning there were some non Jews wearing and by mid summer, hard to find – just as with us. I am NOT talkking about other surrounding areas.
True, one is not allowed to make a chilul Hashem. What about V’Nishmartem l’nafshoseichem? wearing a mask can make you sick!! breathing in all that bacteria that is built up in a mask is making more people sick than the mask wearers who are catching corona anyway, since the masks are not helpful. So if I have to pick and choose which mitzvah to be careful with, I’ll watch my health and not wear a mask!
That sounds scientifically correct.
It’s actually not.
There has been 0 evidence that mask wearing posses a risk, for people without medical conditions.
I challenge anyone to bring actual proof
Do you have severe asthma that makes mask-wearing difficult? I know many in this situation
Of course wearing a mask makes the person sick! Notice that doctors and nurses wear masks when operating, and guess what? THEY ARE IN THE HOSPITAL! Wearing masks gets them into hospitals! Stay healthy, keep the masks off!
to not wear a mask when they’re working on you.
Well said
Should we address him as the “honorable Governor CuomoMierta?”
Instead of crying about “unfair” treatment, I prefer to pray alone, at home, and thank God everyday that my sons and daughters were born with the right shade of skin color, that they don’t get snuffed out like an animal in broad daylight by the police who are meant to protect and serve. I thank God that I can pray to him, alone, at home and not have to worry about being shot and killed in my own home for no reason at all. Hashem is everywhere and I can pray to him anywhere….and I am fortunate enough in life,… Read more »
Stop conflating things that have no connection. Are you also grateful to teach your children that ‘two wrongs make a right’? Or that if someone does something wrong to them, they can go and wrong others?
What on earth does one have to do with the other?
It has to do with the fact that the article is specifically comparing BLM protests to our community not being allowed to gather. No community is allowed to gather right now….and the fact that an entire group of people live in such dangerous conditions that they are willing to risk their health to protest the injustices that they face, should not be used as a VALID argument to the position of the Mayor and Governor pointing out the absolute disregard for the health and safety of OUR own people by our OWN people. Follow the law and you won’t be… Read more »
According to the Washington Post this year 14 unarmed black men were killed by police compared to 25 unarmed whites so your narrative is factually incorrect
Now adjust that number for population size…. oh, and I wouldn’t use the WP to validate any point relating to this topic. Their bias is well documented.
Your drama is ignoring the main point of this article that freedom of speech is being allowed yet freedom of religion is not. Let that sink in. Your right to practice your religion is your right and no government official should be taking that away ever. That is unconstitutional and abhorrent and an overreach of government in an egregious manner. Freedom of speech and freedom of religion should be allowed equally. And currently they are not. This is a major problem and should be fought as it can be the beginning of worse. You should be free to practice your… Read more »
For all those who said ‘antisemitism’ is only in main land Europe.
Your NYC mayor ימ”ש & NYS Governor ימ” ש are just as dangerous.
So to the amount of (Jewish) Democrats who GLADLY welcome what is being done & would gladly vote for those who want to destroy the country which provided a safe heaven for our brethren in times of need
Issue #1: Of course wear a mask if only to make your neighbor feel better, for heaven’s sake (take that literally and figuratively.) Issue #2: ABSOLUTELY, there’s a double standard going on here. Other communities who nobody wants to start up with for fear of very negative political repercussions (to put it mildly,) are also showing spikes in corona cases, but nobody dares say a word to them. To put it bluntly, if you had no “protectzia” and got stuck in an isolated area with an angry member of a minority group you better believe you’d pray that the person… Read more »
There are more cases in the orthodox community that is a fact.
There is less compliance of the rules in the orthodox community that is also a fact.
So it would make sense to focus your attention to where the cases are.
Now as a matter of policy you can disagree with restrictions and lockdown measures, but that would be irrespective of who the rules affect.
Your entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts – so stop making up things and just open your eyes up a little
They’re against the orthodox not all Jews which is why many Jews are the perpetrators behind antisemtisn towards the frum, even in our community , Jews need to stop being ashamed and be proud and unified
Most people in crown heights and other frum neighborhoods had it, that’s why they feel safer gathering and not wearing masks. Also we actually do things with our neighbors kids go to same schools we meet each other in Shul. In non Jewish neighborhoods they don’t intermingle like we do so there is less exposure
These are very new challenges for everyone, including those in positions of authority: that is, each parent, each principal, each mayor, governor, president. Maybe most leaders are not outrageous, hypocritical, malicious.
The USA has had one of the least authoritative responses to covid of the western world, but the most outrage. I say, maybe we can still afford to keep calm, practice some self-soothing techniques, de-escalate tensions and generally strive for a peaceful home, neighborhood, country and world.
Finally
The only way this anti-Semitism will end is if Trump gets reelected so therefore every jew has an obligation to vote for Trump!!!!
Antisemitism will end when Moshiach is fully revealed, and not before
If you are a believing Jew, then you should realize that all of these decrees are really coming from Hashem. Cuomo is just Hashem’s messenger.
Please take the time to read this transcript from a shiur that Rabbi Eliyayu Brog (grandson of Rabbi Avigdor Miller, zt”l) recently gave. He has good advice for our current situation.
https://www.emes.news/torah/transcript-of-rav-eliyahu-brogs-shiur-covid-crisis-is-middah-kineged-middah-of-how-we-persecuted-our-unvaccinated-brethren/
Avigdor Miller wrote an appalling book trying the “justify” and “explain” the Shoah. He was born in America. The Friediker Rebbe went through the carpet bombing of Warsaw and said, “I haven’t the slightest interest in justifying what happened.”
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/64888/jewish/The-Rebbe-on-the-Holocaust.htm