Der Yid, the oldest and the most widely circulated Yiddish newspaper among the Orthodox Jews in America and abroad, published this Friday, 12.04, an extensive article that was translated into English too - which is a not a normal occurence - aimed at convincing people to vaccinate their children. Founded in 1953 in New York by the Satmer Hasidim, it is nowadays read among many other Jewish religious groups in the USA and in other parts of the world.
Here are a couple of quotes, from the English translation:
'When there is an emergency, one rushes to call Hatzalah.
When there are doubts if to fast on Yom Kippur, one asks a regular doctor - not one who may have good advice on diets'.
'The small groups of antivaxers spoke to the press and tarnished the image of observant Jews, as if we can't be trusted to make the right choices for our children, and as if we spread infections.
We heard of instances in certain areas where people warn to distance from Jews to avoid infections. It reminds of medievals libels that Jews are causing plagues which led to horrible antisemitism. This may, G-d forbid, sart a fire of hatred to Jews.
The entire fight is conducted in a short-sighted non-Jewish manner, which only harmed their interests and brought a terrible defamation of Hashem's name...'
Der Yid runs since a couple of weeks ads on the front page aimed at encouraging people to vaccinate their children. The national American media aired in the last days many interventions of Jewish groups and 'outraged citizens' that openly opposed the vaccines, for apparent religious and medical reasons, although in reality none of those arguments really apply. What is sure is that a more active involvement of the religious leaders both in America and Israel will save not only the honour of the community, but especially lives.
In the last months, an outbreak of 285 cases of measles were reported in New York City, from a total of 465 nationally. Ongoing outbreaks were also recorded in the last months in Ukraine and in Israel. The opposers of vaccines are also among parents sending their children to Waldorf School, Amish communities or extreme Christian groups. This March, Rockland County situated in the Northern part of New York City, where tens of thousands of Hasidic Jews mostly in Monsey, New Square and Kaser, declared state of emergency for 30 days. According to the measures, unvaccinated children should be barred from attended public schools and being present in public spaces for 30 days.
There are several rabbis and institutions that until now opposed the vaccines, using the usual hoaxes as for instance an connection never proved scientifically between the measles vaccines and autism.
For instance, the group called PEACH - Parents Educating and Advocating for Children's Health - an ironic name - , which advertises its false opinions via a hotline and magazines. Rabbi William Handler of Brooklyn, belonging to the extreme group of Neturei Karta, which also pledges for keeping the sexual predators safe from the juridical state action. Members of the Agudath Israel's highest council on Jewish law, Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky and Rav Malkiel Kotler, head of Beth Midrash Govoha, one of the largest yeshiva in the country, also expressed in the past various opinions against the vaccinations.
The measles outbreak in the Jewish community in Rockland started last September, shortly after the High Holidays.
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