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Seeing a lot of discourse on the tl that is making me uncomfortable so let’s talk COVID-19 cases and Brooklyn Hasidic communities. For some context I am a modern Orthodox Jew and public health masters student. COVID cases are skyrocketing in Hasidic neighborhoods in Brooklyn.
This is largely due to the fact that members of these communities are not practicing social distancing and mask wearing. Let’s break this down into a few reasons ways Public health education, misinformation and community practices.
PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATION
The city, the CDC and the department of health have all produced COVID-19 related education materials in a couple primary languages, English Spanish, Chinese and Korean. This makes sense as these are the main languages spoken by New Yorkers.
The city, the CDC and the department of health have all produced COVID-19 related education materials in a couple primary languages, English Spanish, Chinese and Korean. This makes sense as these are the main languages spoken by New Yorkers.
The issue that arises is that of NYC 100,00 Hasidic Jews overwhelming the language they speak is Yiddish. Yiddish is a dying language that few members outside the community speak. The DOH has insisted on handling this issue without consulting community leadership so not
Until very recently all public health information campaigns were being conducted in a language this community does not speak.
MISINFORMATION
The Hasidic community is a very tight knit community that was ultimately hit the hardest back in March when a Cuomo was still telling people to go to bars and the movies. So much of their community was affected and lost by the pandemic they have falsely assumed
The Hasidic community is a very tight knit community that was ultimately hit the hardest back in March when a Cuomo was still telling people to go to bars and the movies. So much of their community was affected and lost by the pandemic they have falsely assumed
they have herd immunity. As many of the members of their community had tested positive for antibodies they assumed this meant they were safe. Coupled with the lack of education in Yiddish their was no proper way to teach that antibodies do not last as long as with a typical virus
CULTURAL PRACTICES
As I have said before Judaism does not function without a community. We are about to close out next weekend the holiest time of year for the Jewish community next weekend and I am afraid the damage has already been done. De Blasio insisted on spending so much
As I have said before Judaism does not function without a community. We are about to close out next weekend the holiest time of year for the Jewish community next weekend and I am afraid the damage has already been done. De Blasio insisted on spending so much
time telling everyone to stay home and not celebrate that they failed to contact and properly advise people on how to complete religious obligations safely. I.e outdoor services with masks, limiting the # of congregants etc...
ANTISEMITISM
Arguably with this all in mind De Blasio has fostered an environment of antisemitism. He announced a lockdown of these neighborhoods on Sukkot a day where the Hasidic community would have no access to media, he has repeatadly used antisemitic dog whistles
Arguably with this all in mind De Blasio has fostered an environment of antisemitism. He announced a lockdown of these neighborhoods on Sukkot a day where the Hasidic community would have no access to media, he has repeatadly used antisemitic dog whistles
and has intentionally named the orthodox community on many occasions which endangers a community that has seen 100% increase in antisemitism in the last year. I am not absolving the Hasidic community of responsibility but their is larger nuance here. The department of health
failed them and continues to fail them and left them educationally in the dark for months. De Blasio cares so much more about keeping up appearances of having this community under control then actually protecting community health or preventing antisemitism.
If DeBlasio continues to place the blame of COVID rates rising on Orthodox Jews he will have blood on his hands.
