Mayor Mike Bloomberg was interviewed by the Atlantic this week about his accomplishments during his tenure as Mayor of NYC. One of the items that Bloomberg is proud of, is how he stood up to the Orthodox Jewish community regarding the Metzitzah B’Peh issue.
Below is an excerpt of the interview:
Let me circle back quickly to the issue you raised just a second ago, which is how you see your role —
I said one time that if I finish my term in office — at that time, we were talking about eight years, or four years — and have high approval ratings, then I wasted my last years in office. That high approval rating means you don’t upset anybody. High approval rating means you’re skiing down the slope and you never fall. Well, you’re skiing the baby slope, for goodness’ sakes. Go to a steeper slope. You always want to press, and you want to tackle the issues that are unpopular, that nobody else will go after.
Read the paper today: Do you know what metzitzah b’pehis is? You should read the front page of the New York section of The New York Times today. It is a practice that Orthodox Jews —
Yes, of course, of course. [Metzitzah b’peh is the practice during circumcision whereby the mohel sucks the blood from the infant’s wound.]
I think it’s fair to say that nobody else would take that on. I mean, come on! Forget about the fact that — “They do what!?” — Who wants to have 10,000 guys in black hats outside your office screaming?
And yet, I said to the rabbis again yesterday: The science is not perfect, and it is to some extent an art — medicine — but there is a reasonable chance that this is dangerous to kids’ health. There have been some kids who we believe die or have brain damage from the practice. My obligation is to protect the citizens. I understand freedom of religion. Nobody stood up for it more than me — go back to the [Ground Zero] mosque, where I got beaten up for doing what was right …
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9 Responses
Hes A self absorbed selfish Narcissist hashem will give him his downfall don’t you worry and it will be a joy to watch v’shaim rshaeim yirkav
I have a funny feeling he will not be so proud when he meets his maker
be prepared for all your rights & freedoms to be taken away slowly but surely-not in one shot-& soon WE will not be able to live in the USA as frum yidden. all our rights & freedoms are being taken from us one at a time & the USA is about to become what used to be communist russia
pack your bags NOW & head for Eretz Yisroel, while the pressure is not so hard & before america is attacked by iran. for then it will be too late & everyone will be leaving in poverty, wishing they had left-now-when they were told.
BOTTOM LINE:this is all the work of Hashem & the choice is yours if you wish to leave now or wait & suffer ahead C”V
Why would I post anything here if I could do it there, on ATLANTIC…
An emmesdika Rasha! And toeiva Marraige is not a real danger What a hypocrite phonie! Too bad a Democrat candidate running for State Senate in the Super Jewish Distric, sponsored & voted to overturn “Term Limits” allowing this Rasha to remain in power passing these terrible Gizeiros!
YungermanS, this is more likely to happen in Israel than in the USA. In the USA we have a judiciary that almost always protects people’s rights; in Israel they don’t. And Iran is far more likely to attack Israel than the USA.
10000 black hats? Maybe the gedolim should give him that if 50000 paid for the Internet Asia we could rustle up 20000 for city hall lets show him and the world we are willing to be oser nefeh for mitzvohs
Hey, no one banned Metzitzah B’Peh! Halavai all “anti- frum” regulations were this bad.
It does not change a ki hu zeh someone’s right and will to have Metzitzah B’Peh performed on their son. It is a piece of paper handed to the parents at the hospital indicating the “risks” of Metzitzah B’Peh. That’s it. No one banned Metzitzah B’Peh.
Halavai all “anti- frum” regulations were this bad. It does not change a ki hu zeh someone’s right and will to have Metzitzah B’Peh performed on their son. Save the hand wringing for when it’s really needed.
Let’s not forget who the real culprit is,
The “RABBI” from Monsey.