Israeli Rabbonim Call to Avoid NY During Tishrei

By COLlive reporter

Tishrei @ home.

That’s what members of Beis Din Rabbonei Chabad in Israel are calling for, to avoid endangering residents of Crown Heights by visiting the neighborhood during Tishrei.

A letter from the Rabbonim was issued this week to support the request of Crown Heights Beis Din members Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba and Rabbi Yosef Braun and local medical professionals.

“We consulted with doctor-friends who claim it is a danger not only for the neighborhood’s residents, but also to the guests and students who are coming to the neighborhood,” the Rabbonim from Israel wrote.

Visits should only be made when in full compliance with the health demands made by Dr. Eli Rosen and the Gedalia Society, they said.

The letter was signed by Rabbi Yitzchok Yehuda Yaroslavsky (Kiryat Malachi), Rabbi Avrohom Michoel Halperin (Jerusalem), Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gluckowsky (Rechovot), Rabbi Yochanan Gurary (Holon), Rabbi Yosef Hecht (Eilat), Rabbi Moshe Havlin (Kiryat Gat) and Rabbi Yisroel Hendel (Migdal Haemek).

Last week, the Gedalia Society issued guidelines which should be followed for anyone who must visit the Crown Heights neighborhood for Tishrei.

Visitors should only come to Crown Heights for Tishrei if they have proof that they have been previously ill with the virus, they said. Visitors must have a positive viral test (dated more than 10 days prior to arriving in Crown Heights) OR positive antibodies, as per lab reports in visitor’s name.

They also said that anyone who has not had the virus should not visit Crown Heights.

The Crown Heights Beis Din Rabbonim Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba and Rabbi Yosef Braun reiterated the guidelines, stating that they reaffirm that which was previously stated, numerous times, not to visit Crown Heights for the foreseeable future, unless meeting the medical requirements set forth in the guidelines provided by the community doctors.

“One must be cautious in listening to medical instructions, and not try to outsmart or circumvent them in any way Chas Vesholom. The importance of following doctors’ orders is stated in many of the Rebbe’s Sichos and letters,” the Rabbonim said.

“This is especially true now, when we are faced with a potential concern of endangering lives R”L, regarding which the Torah states that one is not allowed to (directly or indirectly) place himself and certainly not others in a situation of even remotely potential danger, since the laws pertaining to the prevention of danger are even more stringent than those regarding outright prohibitions (Issurim),” they said.