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| Agudah of Illinois Dayan, R' Shmuel Fuerst condemns irresponsible behavior |
This has become a very depressing of enterprise of late. For
obvious reasons. That of course hasn’t stopped me. If there was ever a time to
pay attention to what is going on in the world –it is now!
This morning I heard the same news I’ve been hearing for
weeks now. And as has mostly been the case - just when you think things have gotten
pretty bad, they get even worse. I walked away from this morning’s newscast anxious and
depressed. It took me awhile to get back to an even keel. Which doesn’t really
change things. But it does help me deal better with the day.
What depressed me today is that New York is – or is quickly becoming
- the epicenter of the COVID-19 virus infection. Watching a desperate Governor Cuomo
struggle through a press conference citing infections figures that seem to
double every few days is frightening beyond words.
It was distressing to hear him say that respirators - a vital
piece of medical equipment - will be in such
short supply that tens of thousands of people that might need them to survive –
will not get them. Equally distressing -
frightening even - is his prediction that what is happening in New York will
soon be happening all over America relatively soon.
I’m not sure how accurate this projection is since the rates
of infection varies from state to state. Less populated states do not have anywhere
near the infection rate New York does. And if they practice social distancing properly
they might get out of this without the kind of spike taking place in New York.
Which brings up the question, ‘Why New York?’ What is it
about this city that makes it the epicenter of the disease?
The answer to that should be obvious, too. Population density.
Everyone is close to everyone else. Places
like Times Square comes to mind. It seems like – in New York - there are people everywhere all the time.
Some epidemiologists have theorized that public transportation
in New York finds people so densely packed - so close to each other they can
barely move. Every day. Morning and evening. Social distancing in situations like
that is impossible. It is also true that the spike might be related to the fact
that many people weren’t tested until now and actually had the virus earlier –
but are first being counted now. That, however, doesn’t make me feel much
better.
New York is also the epicenter of Jewish life in America. There
are probably more Jews in the greater New York area than in every other city combined.
The same is true for Orthodox Jews. It has not escaped my attention that this
fact has contributed to the problem. Not because there is God forbid any
sinister motive. But simply because of the fact that Orthodox Jews tend to
congregate in groups a lot more than the average New Yorker. Mostly for
religious reasons.
A great many Orthodox men go to the synagogue daily to Daven with a Minyan. Some go 3 times a day. And most men and women go to Shul every Shabbos where in some cases there are many hundreds of attendees. In other cases there are those that Daven in a crowded Shtiebel where there might be dozens of Jews sitting or standing right next to each other for hours at a time.
Young Orthodox Jews can be found in the Beis HaMedrash of their
given Yeshiva studying for hours a day among hundreds (or even thousands in
some cases) of other students every day
for months at a time!
We also tend to have our share of weddings and Bar Mitzvahs
- all of which tend to be much larger than the average New Yorker celebration.
Weddings in particular are a breeding ground for infection because of the close
contact between people during those lengthy dance sets!
None of this is inherently bad. There is nothing wrong (and everything
right) with a society that has such a close knit relationship with their coreligionists
and celebrates life-cycle events with family, friends and neighbors. But this isn’t
about right or wrong. It is about facts. And in this case, these facts do not
favor us.
Most of the Orthodox Jewish community has been duly chastened
and have been abiding by the restrictions imposed by the government. For purposes
of their own safety and to prevent community spread.
Unfortunately there are some that have been treating this like
a joke. As though the government and epidemiologists don’t know what they are
talking about. And they have either totally defied those restrictions or have
been modifying them inappropriately for their own ‘religious’ purposes.
They have not only put themselves in danger. They have put
the lives of their families in danger. As well as their neighbors and friends.
But perhaps worst of all is the Chilul HaShem they are
causing. They might not realize that the world is watching. Or they do and don’t care.
Either way that attitude is so
irresponsible that it ought to be made clear that just how wrong and anti Torah
it is by all responsible Orthodox organizations. Which have been coming out
with valuable advice almost daily about what to do during this crisis both for our physical
and spiritual health.
It is important for them to spread the word and announce to
the world that what this community is doing is NOT OK! That behavior like
that is a Chilul HaShem of major proportion! And that the responsibility for it
is at the top. The buck stops at the door of their leaders who are
either encouraging this behavior or tolerating it.
Once again - (and I cannot emphasize this enough!) It is time for all responsible Orthodox organizations - across
the board - to speak with one voice of condemnation about this.
It may not change their behavior. But at least the world
will know that these people are outliers who - with an attitude like this - have
separated from the rest of the Jewish people and do not represent Judaism at
all
This might sound harsh. Some might say that dishonoring a
rabbinic leader is the height of impudence and counter to the values of the
Torah in a serious way.
That would be true under ordinary circumstances. But as the
Gemarah tells us, B’Makon Chilul HaShem – Ein Cholkin Kavod L’Rav. I can’t
imagine a Chulul HaShem greater than causing the world to blame the pandemic on
religious Jews.
I am therefore glad that in Chicago Rabbi Shmuel Fuerst, Dayan of Agudath Israel of Illinois made comments last night during his annual pre-Peasch lecture that are a version of what I said here. (It was live-streamed on Zoom and available by telephone for
those that do not have Internet access). I do not recall his ever doing anything
like that before. It takes a lot of courage. And that ought to be applauded by all of us.
