Monday, February 09, 2026
ADL Rebukes Dr. Oz Over Claims Tying Hasidic Jews to Health Fraud
The ADL is sharply criticizing Dr. Mehmet Oz after comments he made about New York State's Chasidic community in a recent television interview, saying his remarks reinforce classic antisemitic themes at a time of rising hate crimes.
In a discussion about health care fraud investigations, Oz, who currently leads the federal agency overseeing Medicare and Medicaid, cited cases in Minnesota and then pointed to Hasidic Jews in New York as an additional example. The comparison was framed as an effort to show that fraud is not limited to one state. However, the group says the way he singled out a visible religious minority effectively cast Hasidic Jews as uniquely tied to criminal schemes rather than as full and ordinary participants in American life.
Advocates argue that portraying Hasidic communities as foreign, suspect, or collectively responsible for wrongdoing mirrors long-standing antisemitic narratives. They warn that such messaging can fuel bias and harassment, especially against visibly Orthodox Jews who already face elevated levels of street harassment and violence.
The organization linked Oz's comments to a broader climate in New York City, where police data for January show a dramatic year-over-year rise in reported antisemitic incidents. Jewish community leaders contend that when public figures highlight specific Jewish groups in the context of crime, it can help normalize hostility and make members of those communities feel less safe in their own neighborhoods.
Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon and former Republican Senate candidate, has increasingly used his platform to weigh in on political issues. His critics say that taking on a senior federal health role brings added responsibility to speak carefully about vulnerable populations, particularly when discussing law enforcement and fraud. They are calling on him to clarify or retract his remarks and urging other officials to avoid broad generalizations about religious or ethnic communities when debating policy.
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