Statement From Agudath Israel on Mayor de Blasio’s Tweets

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New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s tweets last night about a large funeral that took place in Williamsburg, Brooklyn created a maelstrom of protest. They gave the impression that he saw the Jewish community, in particular, as flouting rules of social distancing in this challenging time.
The mayor expressed regret this morning for the way his words were taken. We agree with that sentiment.
No matter how well-intentioned the Mayor might be, words that could be seized upon by bigots and anti-Semites must be avoided at all costs.
The Jewish community as a whole, and the Orthodox Jewish community in particular, are heeding social distancing rules, including at funerals. In fact, weeks ago, Agudath Israel shared clear guidelines for funerals and burials developed by the National Association of Chevra Kadisha (NASCK); guidelines that were patently violated by last night’s funeral.
While we at Agudath Israel keenly understand the deep grief over the loss of a beloved leader, the health and safety of our community, neighbors, and that of our dedicated law enforcement officers must be always be our highest priority.

15 COMMENTS

  1. Stop Apologizing! Start showing how the non jews all around are gathering all over in parks, beaches and more and BDB says nothing, while we sit home with no minyan no cheder etc. When we act like this we encourage more of the attacks on us. With this lame statement BDB can now say, you see I am correct even the Agudah agrees with me. Stop being defensive go on the offensive.

  2. However, the Mayor is not well-intentioned. We’re walking a fine line and need to be conscious of both pikuach nefesh and the fact that we’re still in golus. Silly people in our communities who think their usual excuses and doubletalk will still work should wake up.

  3. Just keep voting for this rotten DemocRAT and all the rotten DemocRATs who hate Jews and who hate America so that they can keep funding us

    • Our very own machers who backed Bill De Blasio and Letitia James ought to be having second thoughts. The two look at everything through a radical lens and can’t be trusted whatsoever. As they see it (except during campaigns), their favorite minorities can do no wrong and their unfavorites such as Orthodox Jews can do no right.

  4. Rabosai:

    Term limits. This hypocrite and anti-Semite cannot run for the office of mayor again. We need to be vigilant about voting in all elections, especially the local ones we tend to ignore. We need to be informed about those politicians who are in BDB’s camp and follow any of his ideas. These folks will extend the tyranny of BDB’s regime longer. That is a threat to all New Yorkers.

    We must also be very careful about the murmurings during elections. Falsehoods spread more quickly than truth. Some of the voices in the frum community are biased because they are recipients of government money and favors. And while those may have their value, bringing in reshoim like this mayor is suicidal for our entire community. Perhaps a generalization, but we will most likely suffer from a Democrat, and fare better with a Republican. Dismissing this responsibility would be a shame.

  5. Having an atheist governor state that while liqueur stores are essential, religious services are not, is something that we should be standing up to. Even if we believe that minyanim should not be taking place, nonetheless, it is not up to the government to decide that.
    That said, we have some explaining to do when we continually stand down to laws that threaten our religious liberties while continuing to take money from those very selfsame entities.

  6. Sorry, but no. When frum Jews act like fools they deserve the telling off that anyone else gets for the same behavior. It’s time we stopped wagging our finger at the mean, bad goyim and took responsibility for our own actions. The Jews who stood shoulder to shoulder at that levaya are responsible for all the deaths that result from their behavior and we need to just call a spade a spade. We all see it in our communities – people who think this is about ‘rules’ and not about playing games with other peoples’ lives… then they cry and say tehillim when another talmid chacham is in the hospitl

    • sofek… much of what you write is sensitive & correct , however factually or anecdotedly the bp willy community eased restrictions on sunday before pesach & even more so on yomtov its now 3 weeks with near zero uptick in hospital transports of NEW people getting sick. a funeral like this would NOT happen 2 weeks ago we are not reckless idiots its that now we feel we are done with it maybe they are wrong but when people do something that seems crazy to you , you need to try to peak in to their mind to understand where its coming from

  7. The fact is that the locals cleared it with the police department. The proof in the pudding is that the streets were blocked off! Why is no one thinking of that? Who do you want to blame?

  8. The reaction from the community is not defending the organizers or those that attended the funeral. The reaction is to the Tweet that the despicable mayor sent out. The mayor had no right to reference the Jewish community. He could have not tweeted or just mention that a large funeral was broken up by the police. We are all due an apology.

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