Saturday, April 13, 2019
As Passover approaches, Jewish leaders warn that measles outbreak feeds anti-Semitism
As measles cases in New York climb, leaders within the Hasidic and Orthodox Jewish community, where most cases in the metropolitan area have been concentrated, fear something else is also spreading — anti-Semitism.
With upcoming Passover travel, there is concern that both could get worse.
Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt, an infectious diseases specialist and respected Jewish scholar, wrote about the dual concerns of measles and backlash recently for the Rabbinical Alliance of America.
"Why are precious children unnecessarily exposed to lethal illnesses?" he wrote. "How could we cause 'Orthodox Jews Cause Disease' to be the lead story on major print and other news media? Why are health departments and governments ... talking about fining Jews and closing Yeshivas?"
A headline in Der Yid, an influential newspaper published by the Satmar Hasidic community, called the anti-vaccination movement: "Senseless! Heartless! Torah-less and Reckless."
"It's very scary," said Rivkie Feiner, a Monsey resident who works on behalf of various Orthodox causes. "As an Orthodox family, my kids wear yarmulkes, we are being marked."
https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/rockland/2019/04/12/measles-outbreak-backlash-passover/3435172002/
With upcoming Passover travel, there is concern that both could get worse.
Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt, an infectious diseases specialist and respected Jewish scholar, wrote about the dual concerns of measles and backlash recently for the Rabbinical Alliance of America.
"Why are precious children unnecessarily exposed to lethal illnesses?" he wrote. "How could we cause 'Orthodox Jews Cause Disease' to be the lead story on major print and other news media? Why are health departments and governments ... talking about fining Jews and closing Yeshivas?"
A headline in Der Yid, an influential newspaper published by the Satmar Hasidic community, called the anti-vaccination movement: "Senseless! Heartless! Torah-less and Reckless."
"It's very scary," said Rivkie Feiner, a Monsey resident who works on behalf of various Orthodox causes. "As an Orthodox family, my kids wear yarmulkes, we are being marked."
https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/rockland/2019/04/12/measles-outbreak-backlash-passover/3435172002/
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