By COLlive reporter
More than 100 local clergy and Jewish leaders, along with New York State elected officials, signed a letter directed to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio expressing “anger and disappointment” at what they called his “scapegoating” of the Jewish community in response to social distancing violations during a large funeral in Brooklyn earlier this week, Jewish Insider reported.
In a tweet Tuesday night, de Blasio warned “the Jewish community, and all communities” that law enforcement will begin to take more stringent measures to enforce COVID-19-related restrictions.
The letter, obtained by Jewish Insider, cautioned the New York Democrat that “laying blame upon Hasidic communities — among the most visible members of our Jewish family — will not stop the spread of COVID-19, and referring to these particular communities as ‘the Jewish community’ both flattens a diverse group of New Yorkers into a single bloc and fuels the anti-Semitic hatreds that bubble beneath the surface of our society.”
The leaders also said they want face-time with de Blasio, “to discuss constructive approaches to respond to the pandemic that recognize the Jewish community’s earnest efforts to fight COVID-19, protect vulnerable communities, and avoid heavy-handed over-policing.”
“In the midst of a historic wave of antisemitic hate violence in New York City, our community — like the Asian community — has been feeling the pain of being singled out and blamed for the spread of this deadly disease,” the letter says.
Elected officials who signed onto the letter include Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), State Senators Brad Hoylman and Julia Salazar; Assemblymembers Harvey Epstein and Linda Rosenthal; and Councilmembers Brad Lander and Stephen Levin, who, respectively, represent parts of the Borough Park and Williamsburg neighborhoods in Brooklyn, according to Jewish Insider.
The World Jewish Congress is planning to formally censure de Blasio upon the recommendation of WJC President Ron Lauder, who also heads the Anti-Semitism Accountability Project, Jewish Insider reports.
“To blame the entire Jewish community is the type of stereotyping that is dangerous and unacceptable at any time, and particularly pernicious while the world is gripped in fear and the worst among us are looking for scapegoats,” Lauder said in the statement to Jewish Insider. Lauder accused the mayor of feeding “into the dangerous agenda of white supremacists and anti-Semites around the world” by singling out Jews and painting them as lawbreakers.
Mayor De Blasio doubled down Wednesday on his criticism — but also apologized for his warning to the Jewish community as a whole that threatened future arrests.
The mayor stated during a Wednesday press briefing that he spoke out of “frustration” and “anger” after witnessing a crowd that he said violated social distancing requirements meant to curb coronavirus transmission, but that he has love for the Jewish community.
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De Blasio specially asked the Jewish community to support him in his 2020 presidential bid. The Jewish came out and financially supported him.
What about the flyover?
And what about the not-socially-distanced drum circles in Prospect Park? And what about the local street-corner gatherings of more than 10 men (and some women), not socially-distanced, standing around a blaring, house-shaking outdoor car sound-system on nice-weather days, like what took place last Shabbos?
Maybe – if it dosnt get through from the “inside”, it has to come frfom the “outside”: SOCIAL DISTANCING AT all costs – it’s still PIKUACH NEFESH.
I saw this comment on another news website: “If they were living in israel they would have faced the idf. De Blasio is being responsible.” There may be truth in that. Can we afford to relax about the social distancing yet? Not according to the news
Bring attention to the majority of crown heights that folllow rules. You won’t change the few that don’t listen and instead you’re being like gestapo calling the city and making your community sound bad when we are barely out most of us. YOu cause antisemitsm by publicizing the few individuals .
NOBODY, is complaining about the funeral being stopped, even the organizers realized it got to big. The problem is how the mayor singled them out from everyone else, and then began threatening all Jews together. Just like a nazi
…DeBlasio’s “apology” will not be carried as headline news by the national news outlets, though the original Twitter/Photo Op Stunt of his showing up in person in Williamsburg and specifically threatening and singling out the Jews WAS on the national news broadcasts on Wednesday. I woke up Wednesday to hear the radio, as a lead story on a national news network broadcast at the top of the hour (not just the local news report!) telling how DeBlasio joined police in person, who were breaking up this gathering of “Jews in Williamsburg,” with DeBlasio threatening and singling out the Jewish community… Read more »
This may not be a popular view, but the focus of this news flash needs to be on those in the community of Williamsburg and others, who are not getting it and blatantly ignoring or disobeying social distancing laws, which are clearly in place to save lives. As far as blaming the Mayor this is a diversion for those who do not want to own their harmful actions and the consequences to themselves,their families and the damage this does to the communities. Those who do not read the comments from outside news sources have no idea how angry and frustrated… Read more »
he is responsible for the magnitude with which this virus hit the jewish communities! It was he who came out Purim time telling everyone to just go about. Life as usual as “ we are totally prepared, and it won’t hit us anyway.” With everyone partying on Purim in such close proximity was the perfect breeding ground for this to spread like wildfire. HE should be held accountable and sued by the victims of his negligence.
Even though I didn’t live in New Rochelle and didn’t have to stay home, I didn’t need the government to tell me…I used my own mind and realized that if they got it and YU then why wouldn’t we be next? It so happened that Dr Ditchek also warned about Purim but really people just need to think more proactively and not wait for official orders
DeBlasio needs to be raked over the coals for this. Here’s why: A decent individual doesn’t make a huge splash announcing to the international news media AND over Twitter that, basically, NYC has a “Jewish Problem,” (my words, not his, but that IS what he expressed!) — not a social distancing and crowds problem but a JEWISH problem — but then quietly walk it back on media that won’t be with nearly the same huge international splash — not a lead story, not national or international news, and barely even local news! I’m sorry, but his “apology” does not repair… Read more »
But there are two lenses to view this issue. One is the Mayor which you and others have already spoken about, and the other is the anger that was stoked by this incident because it was not the first time of our communities gathering when the directive was to not gather. When I see these angry comments by non jews it is very painful and so to me an easy fix for now anyway is just to adhere to social distancing at our funerals h’vs and weddings. Until now there has been much work in addressing the antisemitism, but this… Read more »
And this is the mayor who fought racial Profiling by police.
Diblasio is the worst Mayor this city has ever seen. Period (.) (.) (.)