For months, protestors were in the streets in NYC, rioters destroyed countless stores and caused millions of dollars in damages while the government largely watched and allowed dismay in the city.
COVID is a worldwide pandemic which must be taken seriously by all communities – yet the Jewish community is the only one which has repeatedly been threatened and criticized by Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio – a blatant double standard.
When Governor Cuomo announces today that “New York state will withhold funding from local governments that fail to enforce closures and social distancing in “red zone” hotspots, as well as from schools in those hotspots that refuse to shutter,” saying “Ramapo, Spring Valley, Orange, Rockland, we need real enforcement”, that is a double standard against Orthodox Jewish areas.
The Wall Street Journal was right this week in its editorial which noted, “..the Governor singled out religious institutions in “hot zones” for special limits. No more than 10 people allowed. A quorum of 10 men is the bare minimum for key Jewish prayers. Worse, the cap is disconnected from the science: Many synagogues are built to seat hundreds, if not thousands, and far more than 10 can pray safely.”
If large restaurants can open indoors, then why can’t synagogues?
Of course, rules should be followed, but this is selective and discriminatory enforcement.
The WSJ continued, “On Thursday the Governor even made the sweeping accusation that the Haredi community has never followed the Covid rules. New York’s Orthodox Jews have reason to feel scapegoated. Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Governor treat them as perpetrators, not victims, of Covid-19, and act as if theirs are the only communities with rising infection rates. Some other minority communities in Queens have higher rates.”
Months ago, Deblasio complained about a large outdoor funeral for an Orthodox rabbi, threatening “the Jewish community,” but in June he attended an even larger Black Lives Matter protest – how is that ok?
It brings to light Mayor Bill de Blasio’s comments that protests about racism are acceptable, but religious services are not, when he said “When you see a nation, an entire nation simultaneously grappling with an extraordinary crisis seeded in 400 years of American racism, I’m sorry, that is not the same question as the understandably aggrieved store owner or the devout religious person who wants to go back to services.”
What he is saying is certain gatherings are ok – others are not.
Ed Mechmann, director of public policy for the Archdiocese of New York was correct when he wrote, “It is clear that in the eyes of our government officials, the politically preferred viewpoint of anti-racism is favored and allowed, while the unpopular one of religious worship is belittled and denigrated.”
Simply, rules must be enforced equally – if people can protest, so too can they pray. If people can gather outdoors for rallies against racism, so too must they be allowed to gather for anything they wish outdoors. If people can eat at restaurants indoors, they must be allowed to pray indoors.
There is a blatant double standard taking place among Cuomo and Deblasio who don’t allow 11 Jews to pray together, but praise and allow huge protests in NYC. There are many reasons not to attend gatherings – and I wont – but if people choose to, they should social distance, but threats against New Yorkers should be enforced equally not in a discriminatory manner. Double standards must end.
Ronn Torossian is a NYC based entrepreneur and Public Relations executive.
NOTE: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of YWN.
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10 Responses
Cuomo and deblasio must be condemned in the strongest possible terms for their horrific tyrannical ANTI-SEMITIC ACTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is Worldwide. The LEFT is using a CORRUPT, BRIBED HEALTH BUREAUCRACY and Vicious Leftist Media to Gain control and Power, and Violate our Religious, Civil and Human Rights.
They are extremely Antisemitic and are Targeting Jews specifically, falsely Portraying Jews as “DISEASED” in a MODERN DAY BLOOD LIBEL!
They Skew the Statistical Data by Censoring and Ignoring the High Covid Rates among BLACKS, HISPANICS, and BLM PROTESTORS, and MUSLIMS.
But they TEST High Numbers of JEWS AS A GROUP with PCR COVID TESTS that have a HIGH FALSE POSITIVE rate.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8679307/amp/Experts-say-USs-coronavirus-positivity-rate-high-tests-sensitive.html
Ever wondered why they chose the color red?
I wouldn’t be surprised if they are now truly red zones
“If large restaurants can open indoors, then why can’t synagogues?”
Synagogues in my neighborhood are open, with dramatically reduced capacity limits for indoor services, and lots of outdoor services. I am only going to the outdoor services.
In NYC BLASIO and CUOMO are TARGETING AND HARASSING the JEWS as a Group: This is RACISM, and RACIAL DISCRIMINATION.
Blacks and Hispanics have TWICE THE HOSPITALIZATION Rates. BLACKS and HISPANICS are CROWDING, PARTYING, PROTESTING, to Silence from Cuomo and Blasio. Blasio is NOT TESTING THEM, NOT FINING THEM, NOT HARASSING THEM.
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. Last week a non-Jew called me a “Super Spreader”. His source was the NYT report on Cuomo’s “hot spot” conference. Although I personally don’t have much of belief in the effectiveness of masks, I always wear them when I go out, and I disagree with the blatant flouting of guidelines by a small portion of the Orthodox community. There is much discussion on whether this is Anti-Semitism, or just a reasonable request to follow guidelines, with follow up.
It is BOTH.
Asking all citizens in an area in which there is a rise in cases to cooperate is reasonable.
Calling out particular communities because of a report that SOME are not wearing masks, over other communities in which the same rise of cases is occurring, is prejudice.
Reporting on all hot spot communities and their gatherings/possible causes is reasonable.
Using images of a particular group, with images depicting gatherings exponentially larger than any are that are occurring (if they are), especially an image from before the pandemic, is both LIBELOUS and prejudice.
Demanding that communities who have a rise in cases follow laws in place is reasonable.
Sending task forces to enforce guidelines to particular communities over others in which the same rise of cases is occurring, is prejudice.
Pointing out one community, which at the time when he reported was actually cooperating (with PPE and quarantine rules, closing schools, masks in shul and all other establishments such as supermarkets), is irresponsible and prejudice.
Pointing out ALL gatherings and tracing the transmission of COVID from ALL gatherings is reasonable.
Pointing out religious gatherings and tracing transmission from religious gatherings, but NOT from the MUCH LARGER, more frequently mask-less BLM gatherings, is prejudice.
Limiting capacity of religious places of worship is reasonable.
Limiting capacity to 10 people when hundreds can safely social distance within a building meant to hold thousands, is prejudice.
Reporting that one minority community is causing the spread of a virus is prejudice.
Reporting that one minority community is causing the spread of a virus when another minority community has an even higher infection rate is prejudice.
I know personally that in my neighborhood you rarely see a Jew without a mask and shuls require that people wear them. I know that there is social distancing in place and staggered minyanim in the 3 shuls which I frequent. I know that on YK, at the start of Cuomo’s incessant reporting about our community, the only people who weren’t wearing masks in the streets were the non-Jews – so much so that a few people who I met that day said “doesn’t this feel like the Yellow Star?”
How do you account for the fact that Midwood has more cases than BP, when Midwood had more compliance since the start?
For those of you supporting Cuomo; Do you agree with the way he went about this issue/continues to go about it?
Please read this poignant quote by MARTIN NIEMÖLLER with regard to the holocaust:
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
In this situation it would read:
First they came for the maskless Hasidic Jews…
Then they came for the masked praying Jews…
I have researched enough about the holocaust, heard personal accounts of how it began to manifest in their daily lives, how they normalized it and justified it and blamed it on the illegal foreign Jews who were living among them. I tremble when I think about what would follow this statement. WAKE UP.
Unfortunately in EY is not better. Read on this site: “SHOCKING VIDEOS – BRUTAL ASSAULT: Israeli Police Bust Wedding In Private Home In Givat Ze’ev”
Most of the double standard can be explained very simply as just doing what ever is popular in the polls and the media. You cant really blame them their job is to stay popular and get reelected. There is no reason to ever think a goy has your best interest in mind, our elected officials do what ever makes them look better in the eyes of the hamon am. For all those who thought their sole intention with their rules was to protect you, sorry to burst you bubble, but their rules where to keep them popular and get themselfs honored and it didn’t matter who their rules killed (nursing homes). But one thing we can see during these times is that on top of all this we also have halachah esuv sonai yaakov
Decency is key.
Wow, you really stated it as it is….unfortunately.
As I was reading your very poignant true facts, I just pictured these corrupt leaders during the height of the riots in June encouraging and egging on a lawless, wild maskless, non-distanced, violent crowd… OF WHOM THEY ARE THE EXAMPLES.
Boruch Hashem our nation doesn’t come close to this. And in their pure hatred of us, its hard for them to digest.
And they think threats will scare us.
Am Yisroel Chai!
But we should remember we need to make a kiddush Hashem and not stoop on their level.
Give credit where credit’s due. Great article, YWN!
This article has been up for 7+ hours (and counting…). Where are all the self-hating comments that accompany any and every article that addresses alleged antisemitism??? Anxiously awaiting your response/s (NOT!)