BORO PARK: Levayah Turns Chaotic, NYPD Clampdown Leads To Mob Scene

4:37 pm
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First report: Chaos erupted at a funeral in Boro Park today and one person was arrested.

The levayah had been scheduled earlier with the NYPD, which closed off 43rd Street to prevent attendance by anyone but family members, a source with the NYPD told Matzav.com. One individual was arrested for violating the social distancing order and entering the area that was cordoned off without permission. The arrested individual was let go a short time letter with a desk appearance ticket.

A large representation of NYPD officers was present, but they apparently let chaos rule after opening the street to permit the hearse to depart. The disturbing scene that ensued was captured on video.

The tumult came just a day after beleaguered New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio threatened the Jewish community that social distancing will be enforced. That threat, in turn, came in the aftermath of the levayah of Rav Chaim Mertz zt”l, where dozens of Jews in Williamsburg gathered to be melaveh the meis.

Tens of officers patrolled the streets of Williamsburg today, ostensibly at the behest of the mayor, handing out fines to those without masks and shutting down shuls and other places people were gathered, even when maintaining the appropriate distancing rules.

Some are questioning why, during this Covid-19 lockdown, there need to be crowds at levayos altogether, when other funerals have been held with no more than ten attendees, comprised of immediate family members, while others participated via telephone or video conference. Over the last 7 weeks, funerals have been held in frum communities across New York and New Jersey with barely a minyan present.

“That would seem to be most prudent,” an askan related on condition of anonymity. “It would prevent the troubling developments we’ve seen this week.”


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87 COMMENTS

  2. FACT CHECK: there was NO PROTEST , the police came to disperse another levaya and when the aron started moving there was a bit of chaos , one bochur was given a DAT ticket and released
    matzav dont believe tischler chazeray

  6. DUMB politicians calling out the mayor for saying the truth and now the JEWISH COMMUNITY is paying the price. Hikind Deutch and other macherhs apologize to the mayor.

    • The Frum people not keeping דרך ארץ is bad, but De Blasio is a pathetic looser. He’s basically done very little good for NYC.

  7. why are some shuls opened in boro Park? why are they making public funerals ?
    they need to learn to follow rules completely without shtick or chaps, even if they don’t understand.
    what a chillul hashem !

      • Well maybe someone should tell “law enforcement” about that, because apparently they don’t know about this arrangement.

    • I found out what really happened. The type of levaya that was in Boro Park today has been going daily for the last two months. My relative who passed away on chol hamoed had the same levaya. Shomrei hadas doesn’t allow levayos now so they pass the house of the niftar say a perek Thilim and leave. This has been going on for almost two months. For some reason, NYPD showed up to this one. People saw police cars so they came to see what happened and things went downhill from there. BUT THIS WAS NOT THE SAME KIND OF LEVAYA THAT WAS IN WILLIAMSBURG.

    • Why should anyone make an aliyah now? That’s absurd. After what the corrupt wicked evil supreme court in Israel just did?! Secular Israel where the hate of religious Yidden is palatable?! Only a fool in lala land would make an aliyah now. As difficult as it is here in America, in Israel it is 10 times worse for a Frum Yid.

      • Aliyah is right! A yiddish hartz and respect for human life can never be taken away. Bayshonim, rochmonim and gomlei chasodim is in our DNA.

      • That’s the stupidest response I’ve seen in a long time. Your attitude is exactly what give the secular courts in Israel their power. If the Frum population of Israel got a 100,000 person boost from Frum yidden making aliyah, they’d have much more clout and power. But all everyone ever thinks of is the Sir HaBosor of America, and make every excuse why going to Israel is not for them.

        Chazal say that when Moshiach comes, Yerushalayim will grow to cover the entire area of current EY, and EY will spread to the entire world (see in Pesikta Rabati 1). There are plenty of those who will say “I’ll stay in the US part of EY, why should I move there?”

  10. Our weakness just emboldens De Blasio and others. They should have came out with Fire and Brimstone against him and this would never happen.
    Let’s make a full fledged protest and we will all join from Brooklyn, Monsey Lakewood etc.

    • Speak for yourself. The shomrai Torah among us understand that we live in golus. We would also do well by following the law, especially when it’s for our benefit, real or imagined.

  11. De Blasio singlehandedly destroyed our city. He couldn’t have done it without the support and votes of the Satmar community. For a couple of shekels they sold us out. He doesn’t need them anymore and their shortsightedness brought them them this reaction.
    Don’t cry now.

  14. Israel would be enforcing these guidelines even more. What are you all talking about with “going to Israel” being the solution to this?!

  15. Where’s the mob scene? Matzav, stop with your sensationalist click-bait headlines. Be ehrlich, be responsible, and have the attitude that we are in galus and shouldn’t look to provoke the goyim.

  16. Don’t cry for Boro Park. Cry for the rest of us Jews who will pay the price for this public flaunting of the social distancing rules and complete disregard by these Jews for anyone, Jew and non-Jew alike, other than themselves.

    • not justifying the massive funeral attendance. but the whole country wouldn’t know about it if it wasnt for deblasio attacking people on twitter. when the people he is calling out dont use twitter. so what was his motive? did the whole jewish community of New York attend the funeral yesterday?

  17. There’ seems to be some sentiment here for mass demonstrations (whether or not the activity in the article was accurately described). Is there logic in emerging from our cocoons now to trade germs with each other? Do we want to act on impulse without thinking?

  18. Don’t cry for Boro Park. Cry for the rest of us Jews who will pay the price for this public flaunting of the social distancing rules and complete disregard by these Jews for anyone, Jew and non-Jew alike, other than themselves.

    • not justifying the massive funeral attendance. but the whole country wouldn’t know about it if it wasnt for deblasio attacking people on twitter. when the people he is calling out dont use twitter. so what was his motive? did the whole jewish community of New York attend the funeral yesterday?

  19. The US Attorney for Brooklyn, Richard P. Donoghue, needs to investigate NYPD and Mayor DeBlasio and his henchmen for possible hate crimes and inciting violence against the Frum Jewish community in Brooklyn. Meanwhile, start a recall petition against the mayor. Sadly, looks like 1938 all over again. We haven’t forgotten the Crown Heights riot either.

  20. DBlass messed up yesterday in Williamsburg, came out looking like the jerk he is, and now he is taking “nekomo” on all of us. He is dead wrong.
    But that still does not excuse us for not doing social distancing and wearing masks. It is not a joke. If you don’t wear a mask and do social distancing you are a rodef, a sofek rotzeach, and are making a huge Chilul Hashem
    Yes the goyim are also doing it and he is picking on us – but it is still 100% wrong of our communities to take chances with our lives and of other heimishe Yidden.
    Hashem Yerachem

  22. Shame on BP and Williamsburg. Although I am aware that it is a small minority that is not following the rules but the painful question is where are the leaders? Why are we not hearing condemnations of this?
    In Lakewood, on the other hand, we unfortunately had many devastating losses among them we lost one of the most prominent gedolim of our city (Rabbi Jacobs), very prominent askonim (R’ Rothchild, R’ Rabinowitz), prominent doctors etc and poshute great yidden. Each of these would have had huge levayas and because of the danger and chilul Hashem concerns they had barely a minyan at their levaya’s. Another example would be the levaya of the Novominsker Rebbe which would have been among the largest levayas that America has ever seen and he also barely had a minyan. What is it that seemingly many chassidim dont get? Is this not a מרידה באומות that the Satmar Rebbe didnt stop crying and screaming about? Litvishe Jewry also knows what kavod hames is but we also know what pikuach nefesh and chilul lhashem is and there is no greater bizoyon hames then to cause a sakanah and chilul lhashem at their levayas. It is time for the chasidim to wake up and not feel like בעלי בתים here and to get their priorities straight. Dont blame the mayor for his very poor choice of words when you are totally at fault. Blame yourselves!

    • Thank you Sol for putting my thoughts into words so eloquently. I also live in Lakewood and have been wondering about all the things you have mentioned. I had to watch the levaya of a dear friend on Zoom. It wasn’t even an option for any of us to attend. One of The Satmar Rebbe’s reasons for being against Zionism was that we should not anger the goyim. Why does this only apply to Zionism and not to any other actions? But more important is the fact that these gatherings are bad for our own health & safety!! The guidelines are not just random rules set up by a govt. trying to “get us.” Why in the world are people doing such harmful and dangerous things??!!

    • You are 100 percent correct. In addition the number if people who are going to shul to daven and to mikvot in spite of the regulations, us appaling.

      I live across from two shuls and I see this all the time. The cops came and shut them down there were signs saying they are closed. Doesn’t matter people who know the combination just waltz in.

      What people who do this don’t understand about endangering others and more importantly chilul Hashem.

      This gives our mostly compliant community such a black eye.

    • Just for your information The type of levaya that was in Boro Park today has been going daily for the last two months. My relative who passed away on chol hamoed had the same levaya. Shomrei hadas doesn’t allow levayos now so they pass the house of the niftar say a perek Thilim and leave. This has been going on for almost two months. For some reason, NYPD showed up to this one. People saw police cars so they came to see what happened and things went downhill from there. BUT THIS WAS NOT THE SAME KIND OF LEVAYA THAT WAS IN WILLIAMSBURG.

      • Please do not lump all chassidim in one group and litvish people in another. I live in kiryat sefer. I’m chassidish. If and when on the rare occasion I leave my house or is for a super brief time and important reason and with a mask of course. On the other hand, when I went out yesterday I saw my litvish neighbors kids and some parents outside without masks, playing and schmoozing

  23. Advice to people in america CARFUL HOW YOU TALK TO A COP. There are smarter ways to vent anger towards polticans the cops are are just doing their job and this will just make them hate the community.

  24. Watch what the cop does with his old mask after he puts on a new one!
    Aside from littering that “endangers” the health of whatever that will come in contact with.
    Just pointing that out

    • The cops are above the law. They also block crosswalks and bus stops so they can give a parking ticket to someone else. They have no problem endangering others. When they wake up in the morning their only concern is that THEY return home safely that night. They couldn’t care less about you and me.

    • One of the hardest things about this current crisis is that there is so much we don’t know yet about this virus. How do you know with such certainty about something the experts don’t know yet?? The ignorance of some of these primitive people is unbelievable!

    • Respiratory illness IS spread outdoors – if you cough within a few feet of someone and there are particles of bodily fluid in the air and someone else breaths it in or it hits their face. YES, it can spread outdoors.

  26. Mr. Not Buying It..
    The whole of Israel is NOT the Supreme Court. You’ll but tickets soon. It’s not your place here aymore. Come with your buddies and make a difference. Galut time is up, my friend.
    Soon you’ll come running. Before the coming Dems and the revolution.
    They don’t like you here, is my point.
    You’re wearing the mask over your eyes.

  27. Only a fool in this galus lala land doesn’t see what’s going on.
    Name a single spot where Jews were not eventually kicked out, moved out or killed.
    You’re so frum, but you believe America is your holy land.
    Bordering on kefirah.

    • I guess you never heard of the churban bayis rishon or the churban bayis sheni and the galus that insued. Hmmm, how did the Vilna Gaon and the Baal Shem Tov end up in chutz learetz? Rashi? Rambam? Ever hear of Talmud Bavli?

  28. We now can appreciate why the Novominsker zatzal levaya was for family ONLY. (I don’t know what’s going on in shamayim, but it is hard to imagine that any of the levaya that were in the news the past day have brought any nachas ruach to the niftar or the Aibishter).
    Why we are in this position today, I do not know. But this is exactly the way Hashem wants it to be. He wants us to daven without a minyan, just like Rabi Shimon bar Yochai for 13 years. He wants us trying to keep our sedorim as much as possible. And yes, He is demanding that we work on our middos and emunah. We should only be zoche!

    • The type of levaya that was in Boro park today has been going on for the last two months in boro park. Shomrei Hadas doesn’t allow levayos so the aron passes the niftars house they say a perek of thilim and leave. Why the police came is a good question. Once they came people came to see whats going on.

  29. I’m literally cringing at the first video of someone raitzing un the cops. What can possibly be gained by this behavior?

  30. BP, Willy, Stamford Hill, Lakewood, social viral media, Monsey.
    Hear rhe message , friends. Pack while your bank accts. aren’t yet depleted or frozen.

  31. I’m not commenting about the levaya at all

    I am commenting that these clips seem to show that there is an enormous amount of resentment and distrust towards the police in places like Boro Park and Williamsburg. Twenty years ago it wasn’t that way. Those communities were from the most pro police communities you could find.

    As A Boro Park resident it is difficult for me to believe that twenty years I was so pro police that my blood would boil when I saw protests against them in other neighborhoods. Today I feel little differently about the police then the residents of “those”neighborhoods do.

    That said the guy in the first clip was very wrong for harassing the police. No the police are not your friends and no they are not the good guys. But we are in Golus and have to do what we can not to make the situation worse. Every negative interaction with the police should remind us that we are in Golus.

  32. One of the hardest things about this current crisis is that there is so much we don’t know yet about this virus. How do you know with such certainty about something the experts don’t know yet?? The ignorance of some of these primitive people is unbelievable!

  34. FAKE NEWS FAKE NEWS FAKE NEWS. I SPOKE TO SOMEONE WHO WAS THERE. The type of levaya that was in Boro Park today has been going daily for the last two months. My relative who passed away on chol hamoed had the same levaya. Shomrei hadas doesn’t allow levayos now so they pass the house of the niftar say a perek Thilim and leave. This has been going on for almost two months. For some reason, NYPD showed up to this one. People saw police cars so they came to see what happened and things went downhill from there. BUT THIS WAS NOT THE SAME KIND OF LEVAYA THAT WAS IN WILLIAMSBURG.

  35. On the 1 hand, they are only killing themselves, or their own kind, their friends and family. So let them do what they want.

    On the other hand, didnt we just suffered a lot from random violent attacks in NYC, how quickly we forget.

    On the 3rd hand, there are a lot of COVID-inspired bored bloggers like me, with their COVID-inspired bored opinions.

    Alles Gits, Nohr Gits, Shtendig Gits, Ach Ve’Rak Gits , Tumid Gits

    • So now everyone can understand what happened in meah shearim; the residents also said everything is calm and good until the police arrive and the sikrikim or curious pple come out of their hidings and then it gets wild.

  36. were they absent from school when they learned the inyan of התגרות באומות???

    Have they forgotten that they are in golus?

    א שאנדע און א חרפה

  37. A letter just came out in the name of the Satmar Rebbe from Williamsburg strongly denouncing the lack of seriousness regarding pikuach nefesh, the appalling התגרות באומות, and the horrible international chilul Hashem. Would be appropriate for Matzav to print the letter and to tone down the rhetoric against the mayor and the police as this is wrong and against torah hashkofoh. Matzav carries full achrayus for what they write and how they write out. Fanning the flames of reckless behavior in a subtle way is inexcusable. דרשו את שלום העיר והוי מתפלל בשלומה של מלכות

  38. This is so sad because I live in Boro Park and my husband davened with this Ruv for 30 years. He was very close to him but he didn’t go to his Levaya. There were no announcements and it was mostly his family which is very large because he was in his 90s. The crowd came from all the hullabaloo when the police started yelling to move no standing even though people were standing apart. It was mostly bystanders but the police were wild. I go to Prospect Park and there are so many non Jews without masks together but we have to be extra careful not to make a Chillul Hashem because that is a terrible thing. But majority of Boro Park are home and listening to the rules with large families and all. I hope we all learn from this

  39. This type of levaya is a sakana to many of the participants and is asered by the poskim of Lakewood and to many chassidishe poskim. We pray to Hashem that the mageifa should end but in the meantime this time of close proximity activity is sakonas nefoshos and it was right for the police to split it up.

  40. How is it ok to taunt policemen?
    Telling policemen to stand 6 feet apart is chutzpah and a chillul Hashem. Taunting a policeman that he is saving lives is also a terrible chillul hashem and major chutzpah. Social distancing is about preventing the spread of germs it is not about a power struggle and taunting police officers. We should be doing the most we can, so people stop getting infected and r”l dying. We should not be teasing and taunting police who are trying to keep us safe. Take your power struggle (and taunting and teasing) somewhere else, not where its a chillul Hashem and could cause someone to get sick and die.

  41. What do you think the cops did & said when they got back to the station? #%*@ Jews, Jews this, and Jews that. Then when they got home? What was their reaction to their wife and kids? How about the Saturday barbecue with their friends (of course without social distancing)? They don’t see the difference between someone like the Novominsker ztal and this bur that raitsed un the cops! We’re all the same, one package. The video clips were ALL OVER AMERICA within seconds. Why can’t we learn from history? The Black Plague, et al? If Jews died – “they started it” (not unlike what we’re saying about the Chinese). If the Jews didn’t die en masse – “see, they did it”. How many thousands died not from the plague, but the pogroms afterwards? No goy is our friend, at the best we’re tolerated. How can we be tolerated when this is made public? WAKE UP YIDDEN! Learn from Yaacov Avinu, Hillel Hazakain, Rebbe Akiva, etc. And parents and Rabayim – where is your chinuch? Whether you move to EY or not is immaterial – while you’re here realize YOU ARE NOT HOME. Ever hear “my kitchen, my rules”? Can’t stand the heat…? Ever get invited to your muchetonim for a Shabbos meal? Did you act as if you own their house and do as you please? Did you make kidush before the mechutin because kimpt mir? Did you throw food around the table, on the walls? And then tell your mechutin to shut up when he tried to control things down? And that’s someone who doesn’t hates you (until then). Double and triple parking, pumps, driveways, red lights, seat belts, etc. Each and every time it’s another chillul Hashem c.v., and adds fuel. And when you’re caught – “what an anti-Semite”. Maybe yes, maybe not (probably). That was before his interaction with you. But now he definitely IS. Please, stop producing antisemitism, we have enough tzaros to deal with.
    Thank You and please BE SAFE.

  42. Let me sum it all up.
    This is like history repeating itself. Esav disrupted Yaakovs funeral. The police get paid from our taxes. Our city,state,federal,retail,real estate,water,ez pass,etc taxes. You don’t have workers running away with the bosses dead relatives at a funeral. They would be fired. If every Jewish homeowner stopped paying his taxes the city would come crying. And what business is this police wearing their guns at a funeral. I did not see any Boro Parker’s displaying their guns at this funeral. Koved Hameis. A little respect.

  43. To a yid in galus:
    To them, higarus bumos only applies to tziyoinim , not to them.
    To the other poster:
    Vilna Gaon’s and Baal Shem’s talmidim made Aliyah. Rambam, Ramban, Orach Chaim, Shalu all made Aliya.
    Ever heard of Talmud Yerushalmi?
    Pack while you can before Democrats roll in and take your bank money. Stop being a fool.

  44. While I believe everyone is entitled to an opinion. Our opinions should be daas Torah

    Is there one ruv that would allow this ?

    The Novominsker Rebbe Zatzal had no levaya his children understand the law & the effects of a large crowd

    Hieliga yidden lechtiga yidden ask your ruv, rav or rabbi is this mitter mutter or permissible?

    We are so fortunate to have a Torah & a shulchan aruch to lead us through life.

    Ask your Ruv , Rav or Rabbi before you do something like this ?

    We should NOT make a chillil Hashem
    Not talking chutspadik to cops, not breaking the laws…. We are the Am Hanivchar!!!

    We are hecher !!

  45. Someone find out who tipped off the NYPD and when the shuls reopen they wont have an issue tifila btzibur because they wont be allowed into any shuls

  46. when did levaya’s become such a chiuv that everyone has to go outside and start fighting with the police to be there??!! its just a shame, as the saying goes your stabbing yourself in the back! many askonim have worked very hard to make good connections with the nypd and the mayors office why are you ruining it for your whole community?! what happens is, these videos dont just end up on matzav they go to all sorts of websites and for people that are following the rules and respecting officers get yelled at and possibly even attacked because “you jews are spreading the virus” i’ve had that yelled at me before!! so stop being stupid and follow what the mayor says and what the nypd says. whether you like it or not, you’ll fight and you’ll lose. your fighting the entire Gov’t of ny state and eventually U.S. so just listen to what they tell you to do!! your only hurting yourself right now

  47. For yrs weve been told not to judge one another
    • for yrs weve been intimidated not speak up about my neighbors modern brother
    • He brings drugs and violence and everything secular or liberal onto our block
    • But if I dare open my mouth up I might have pointed at me a verbal glock
    • It became so normal and so accepted to see and allow the infringement of dangerous types become accepted
    • I did some cheshbon hanefesh and learnt to take a deep breath and tolerate those rejected
    • Im not in their shoes, its not my life Hashem will watch over me and you
    • Its not like its easy to constantly see the dangers
    • Its not like it hasnt affected some strangers
    • It has and it continues to lighten and veil the foundations of what is wholesome and true
    • But what i learnt I am left with is daven and nothing to do
    • The point is for me to change and strengthen myself and my home
    • To make sure and protect that none of that evil will chas vesjolom affect my own
    • Its been almost two months of a pandemic so dangerous
    • Its killed so many pple and weakened the courageous
    • I took to thought and right away started to think
    • Where am I in this picture what does it demand of me as a yiddish kind
    • I have a long list of things I personally compiled
    • Its intense work a lot of kabalos and doesnt allow me to shift focus away from my mind
    • Hashem is demanding for all of us to go home
    • Focus on our own heartbeat and everything we own
    • Each of us an individual
    • Each of us our own journey
    • I understood what I need to do not to end up on a gurney
    • I tried to inspire my family to live by that
    • I cant promise I have control of that man next to me with a hat
    • But instead of showing anger and making a fuss
    • I do what i need and daven to hashem to avoid a ruckus
    • I could easily uproot my marriage and friendships
    • I see so many do whats wrong and dont wear masks n hentchkes
    • But many of those yelling shaming and begrudging
    • Are those same pple that dont stop asking for respect when their children and family members bring evil and violence and dont stop the community nudging
    • Oh my lovely breathren dont you understand
    • that your actions and mentality should now be the new trend
    • Dont judge or shame
    • Or do the blame game
    • There are reasons and preferences others have too
    • Bad and evil is not only in one shape or two
    • This might be bad theyre not keeping the rules
    • But the purpose in the gzeira wasnt shaming or anger; you fools
    • Its not your job like it wasnt mine with your druggy son or modern daughter
    • To judge pple because they endangered themselves and didnt follow law and order
    • Theres a bigger picture of things we have to repair
    • Hashem is waiting for each one of us for something, hes waiting to hear
    • All this lashon horah on our own breathren
    • all this massering to the police from the vichtig higher uppings
    • Is loosing the point and shifting focus
    • Of the intense work we need to do which is not HocusPocus
    • Get to work!
    • Stop focusing on others!
    • We have much to do as sisters and brothers.
    • Take a deep breath like ive been taught to do
    • When I see all the pirtzei geder in our community breaking the spiritual rule
    • You are causing and creating a huge chillul hashem
    • Amongst your own breathren
    • And in shamayim
    • Dont miss the point because another life we cant waste
    • Each person focus on his own life and actions on all this judging in a haste
    • All we can do is follow the social laws
    • And daven to hashem that were not affected because of others flaws
    • May we be zoche for an end to this bilbul bamoach, banefesh and baguf soon..
    • bimheira veyameinu amein!
    Beyerushalayim Habniyoooo!!!

  48. about the social distancing thing with the officers. based off your logic every Hatzalah member and every EMS provider and every doctor would have corona. they’re in the back of an ambulance with direct contact with corona patients and you cant social distance in the back of an ambulance, or in a hospital room! if your wearing proper ppe then it doesnt matter

  49. The true enemy is absolutely not the mayor and the police but Averos – the virus.If all the Jews would serve HaShem MeAhavah – with love – there would not be any problem as the Sefer Hasidim explains that the virus would not attack anyone.

    The mayor and the police are doing it for the good of the Jews. If just one person gets sick Chas VeShalom he risks transmitting it to others in his household. Also the hospitals are overcorowded and underequiped.

    It is not fair on the doctors and nurses to risk their lives for someone who willingly and knowingly risked getting the virus.

    The police are also risking their lives and also Rebbi Yoel MiSatmar said we must not rebell against them.

    If the Levayah is permitted it is a Mizvah, but a little respect for the police should be considered.

    • The problem is that the New York Post etc. WINS CBS News etc. will have it in their papers on line on the news in no time. This will happen without Matzav.

      On the other hand if we behave as we should there will be nothing to post and no Chillul Hashem.

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