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Life-Threatening Coalition Attempting to Form in Lakewood, New Jersey: Tens of Thousands at Risk


(By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times)

Imagine, Heaven forbid, the following headlines:

“Measles Outbreak in Lakewood, New Jersey”

There is a group of people attempting to form a coalition that could quite likely cause these headlines to appear in the very near future.  According to the Center for Disease Control each year 146,000 people worldwide die of measles – most of them children and in locations where they do not vaccinate.

This week, an email went out asking people in Lakewood to join a “coalition” that will essentially force Lakewood schools to take in children whose parents refuse to vaccinate their children. The email further states that, “this coalition depends on a collective voice and will not be launched until we reach a minimum of 250 families. If you live in Lakewood and have made a decision not to vaccinate your children, we encourage you to please take a few moments to sign up to join the coalition..”

It is most disturbing that people are trying to make this happen in Lakewood, New Jersey, of all places, because as was mentioned at the levaya of Rebbitzen Rishel Kotler aleha hashalom by one of the Maspidim – she was at the forefront of helping people who could not afford it – get vaccinated!

The email could also adversely affect the support of Torah Mosdos.  If people find out that Bnei Torah in Lakewood denigrate the views of leading doctors and pediatricians – it could lead to an erosion of financial support for the Torah Mosdos in Lakewood.

Many of the pediatricians in Lakewood have attempted to address this fallacious view, but to no avail.  What is necessary is for the leading Rabbonim in Lakewood to put a stop to this madness.

GRAVE CHILLUL HASHEM

The very existence of such a coalition in the heart of a Torah community is a grave Chillul Hashem.  The Torah tells us in Parshas VaEschanan (Dvarim 4:6), “ki hi chochmaschem uvinaschem l’einei ha’amim” that the Torah is knowledge and wisdom in the eyes of the gentiles.   The B’chor Shor – gives the very example of a doctor prescribes a bitter medication to a Choleh – that he will take it no matter how bitter – certainly in regard to Torah.

This group is placing at risk tens of thousands of children in the Lakewood school system – not only risking measles, but also mumps, rubella, polio, and whooping cough.  These are very serious diseases, and are all easily preventable.

EMPLOYS PRO-CHOICE TERMINOLOGY

Shockingly, this group has employed the language of the “pro-choice” pro-abortion movement in order to lessen the impact of what they are proposing:  The fact that they are advocating to ignore the advice of all doctors, pediatricians, and the Center for Disease Control.  The group even claims to have some Rabbinic backing.

VIEW OF GEDOLIM

The fact is that Gedolei HaPoskim have encouraged vaccinations and have even labelled them obligatory (See Psakof Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg Shlita – Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zatzal’s son-in-law). Rav Elyashiv zatzal had labelled this along with the Alternative Medicine movement dangerous to Klal Yisroel.   Gedolim have written that where there is concern for an epidemic, vaccination is obligatory. (See Minchas Tzvi, siman 9, and Rabbi Eliezer Yehudah Waldenberg, zt’l, in Tzitz Eliezer, and Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein, shlita).

In Teves of 5745 (winter 1984–1985), the Steipler Gaon was asked about a case where the measles vaccine was apparently problematic. He advised them to make sure that the next batch was problem-free and instructed them to take the vaccine (Orchos Rabbeinu, p. 350).

Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, zt’l (Shulchan Shlomo 329:1, 2) writes that if from a sociological perspective people are not rushing to get the vaccination as soon as possible, then it is not considered enough of a danger to warrant Shabbos violation in getting the vaccine. He writes that this is the case even if there is an actual danger.  We see clearly that his view is that one should definitely be vaccinated.  This was also the view of Rav Shmuel Auerbach zt”l.

How effective is the vaccine? With two shots, the efficacy rate for the MMR vaccine reaches 97%.

THE SHEER NUMBER OF MITZVOS INVOLVED IN VACCINATING

The overwhelming percentage of Rabbonim and Poskim would tell you (but check yourself) that vaccinations involve the fulfillment of a number of Torah mitzvos, aside from the basic mitzvah of v’nishmartem me’od benafshosaichem. We should also make our best efforts not to allow misinformation and fraud to affect crucial decisions in our lives.

Hashavas Aveidah. The verse in Parashas Ki Seitzei (Devarim 22:2) discusses the mitzvah of hashavas aveidah, returning a lost object, with the words, “V’hasheivoso lo,” “and you shall return it to him.” The Gemara in Sanhedrin (73a), however, includes within its understanding of these words the obligation of returning “his own life to him as well.” For example, if thieves are threatening to pounce upon him, there is an obligation of “V’hasheivoso lo.” In other words, this verse is the source for the mitzvah of saving someone’s life. It is highly probable that it is to this general mitzvah that the Shulchan Aruch refers in Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 325. This is certainly the case with vaccinations, because vaccinations save lives.

Dam RayachaThy Brother’s Blood.’ There is a negative mitzvah of not standing idly by your brother’s blood— “Lo sa’amod al dam rei’echa” (Vayikra 19:16). This is mentioned in Shulchan Aruch (C.M. 426:1) and in the Rambam. When people get sick and chance death because of our inaction, we are violating the commandment of “Lo sa’amod al dam rei’echa.”

‘Lo Suchal L’hisalem.’ There is yet another negative commandment associated with the positive commandment of hashavas aveidah, and that is the verse in Devarim (22:3), “You cannot shut your eyes to it.” This verse comes directly after the mitzvah of hashavas aveidah. The Netziv, Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin, in his HeEmek She’eilah, refers to this mitzvah as well.

‘V’chai Achicha Imach.’ The She’iltos (She’ilta #37), based upon the Gemara in Bava Metzia 62a, understands the words in Vayikra (25:36), “v’chai achicha imach,” “and your brother shall live with you,” to indicate an obligation to save others with you. The Netziv in his HeEmek She’eilah understands it as a full-fledged obligation according to all opinions. He writes that one must exert every effort to save his friend’s life, until it becomes a matter of pikuach nefesh for himself. The Netziv’s position would certainly advocate that vaccinations are obligatory, even if it involves a slight danger—which in modern times has been virtually eliminated.

‘V’ahavta L’rei’acha Kamocha.’ The Ramban, in Toras HaAdam Sha’ar HaSakanah (pp. 42–43), understands the verse of “And love thy neighbor as yourself” as a directive to save our peers from medical danger as well. We thus have a total of six Torah mitzvos involved in vaccinating our children.

VIEW OF SOME RABBIS

What about the rabbinic views that there may be substance to the anti-vaxxer view? Carefully researching the data behind a halachic question can be daunting at times. Occasionally, though rarely, the background information behind a question may not be sufficiently researched because the Posek relied upon someone else, who did not properly weigh the issue or evidence.  This is clearly the case regarding vaccinations.

In recent years, we have seen this happen when some Poskim have reversed their rulings on the proper berachah for cashews; whether bran is considered animal food; and whether people can distinguish between pasteurized and unpasteurized wine.  Our leading Gedolim in Eretz Yisroel have supported vaccinations and even if some Rabbis negate this idea – we must still follow the opinions of Gedolei Torah (speak to Rav Dovid Morgenstern shlita about Rav Elyashiv’s unequivocal view) particularly here when their view concurs with that of the medical world.

Leading Gedolim with whom this author has consulted in recent months—Rav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita, and a leading Gadol in the United States—have said that when someone has done the research and is sure that the background information behind a p’sak is faulty, there is an obligation to respectfully publicize the correct information – which is what is being attempted here in this article.

The Lakewood email further states that the coalition, “will also be available to help non-vaccinating parents in Lakewood in any area we feel we can, as well as to provide support of ‘strength in numbers’..”

HOW DID THIS BEGIN?

The very existence of this email points to the inroads of cultural influences that the world-wide Anti-Vaccination Movement has made even in some of our Torah communities.

How did all of this madness begin?

In 1998, a now de-licensed British physician named Andrew Wakefield released a paper claiming to have linked the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to the onset of autism.  Later it was revealed that he had secretly received over $700,000 in fees for his views from a lawyer wishing to file lawsuits.

Since then, no other scientist was ever able to match Wakefield’s findings.  In 2010, an ethics review board found that Wakefield had falsified the data in his report.  The paper was retracted and Wakefield’s medical license was revoked.

According to researchers who have traced the origins of the anti-Vaccination movement, one of the leading advocates of Wakefield’s views in the United States is a former model for a prusta publication.  One of her books even has a foreword from Wakefield himself.

She believes that her son has autism, and is the leading voice in this country that believes that vaccines cause autism.  She further claims that alternative medicine has cured her son’s disorder.  She does all of this with no medical evidence.  Nonetheless, her views have somehow influenced members of the Torah community.

This is very sad because vaccines have caused previously lethal diseases to disappear from society only to now re-appear in this country.  Vaccines have saved countless lives. Whooping cough alone causes close to 200,000 deaths per year worldwide.

WE ARE ALL TRAVELLERS

The fact is that, in modern times, we are all one or two relationships away from people who are world-travellers which makes our susceptibility to these illnesses so much greater.

The Council on Foreign Relations has released an interactive map which shows the catastrophic outcome of communities that do not vaccinate.

The interactive map gives a birds-eye view of global outbreaks of measles, mumps, rubella, polio, and whooping cough from 2008-2014.

Measles and whooping cough are increasing in the United States and the UK because of the anti-vaccination movement.

ARE THERE RISKS?

Yes, there are some very very rare side-effects.  And it is true that some people cannot be vaccinated because of allergies or other health conditions.  But that just means that it is even more crucial to vaccinate in order to create what experts call “herd immunity.”

THE SHACH’S VIEW

What about the issue that there will invariably be people with allergic and or other negative reactions to vaccinations? The language of the Shach (Y.D. 336:1) is informative. He writes that a doctor should not say, “What do I need this anguish for if I err and unintentionally kill a patient?” One could perhaps extrapolate from the words of the Shach that we should do whatever we can to ensure that the population is protected through proper vaccination.  Especially now, as Poskim have pointed out – where the dangers have been reduced to a near zero rate.

NEED TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AND OTHERS

This erroneous view that undermines our children’s safety cannot be allowed to gain traction.  Please be vocal in speaking to our Yeshivos, our Bais Yaakovs, our Rabbonim and our doctors.  The growing problem of no vaccinations is not inconsequential.  It is a problem of which the pediatricians in Lakewood are begging for our assistance.  This is also a time for the general community to speak out as well.  Otherwise, we cannot in good conscience say, (Dvarim 21:7), “Yadeinu lo shafchu es hadam hazeh v’eineinu lo ra’u.”

The author can be reached at [email protected]

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)



40 Responses

  1. Why don;t they first form a coalition and force every school to accept children so that no child will be lift out of Yeshiva until Chaunkah?

    Oh right. They have that coalition. It’s worthless.

  2. The anti-vaxxers have a position that can be greatly challenged, as this article demonstrates very well. My haskamah to that is superfluous.

    What is bothersome is the cloak of “kedusha” that is used to masquerade this movement, and impose its will on others. I already have huge question whether their position is morally tolerable. But for them to inflict their desire to take risks on others is completely unacceptable. I wish this petition project the greatest of failures. It stinks of an attitude that prevails in the secular world that one’s positions that are bizarre can be legislated for tolerance by others, with the consequences that the very thought of the bizarre being bizarre is a punishable offense.

    Lastly, there is ample support from Rishonim and others to the scientific base of data being recognized by Torah and required to engage in the medical field.

  3. Ikar choser min hasefer, the most important facts were omitted

    1) the link & phone # for anyone who want to register

    2) The names of gedoley yisroel behind the coalition

    3) The fact that not 1 vaccine was ever tested against a true placebo

    4) The “health dept” never compared the health of vaxed kids, to real healty kids

    5) Before the vaccine measles was considered as “dangerous” as a cold, search brady measels

    6) All my siblings & myself had mumps, measles & the rest no big deal

    7) I challenge any so called Rabbi Or Md to a public debate

  4. Funny… My kids school in Florida has religious exemption… No such outbreaks. Plenty of unvaccinated kids are in school. There’s a reason why. Read dissolving illusions, read other books. There are plenty. It’s because vaccines are not as safe as they are made out to be.

  5. People who use vaccinations show that they lack complete emunah in Hashem’s refuah. True ma’aminim will avoid vaccinations and medicines in general. Ani Hashem rofecha, ani vlo malacha, ani vlo rofeh.

  6. It isnt funny. Your kids are leeching off the overwhelming majority of kids that are vaccinated. Let some of those unvaccinated kids travel outside the “safe zone” of vaccinated countries.

  7. It funny you say this..

    “New Jersey, of all places, because as was mentioned at the levaya of Rebbitzen Rishel Kotler aleha hashalom by one of the Maspidim – she was at the forefront of helping people who could not afford it – get vaccinated!”

    Rabbi Malkiel Kotler is heading this coalition.

    There are many other Gedolim who have said vaccinations are not safe (Reb Shmuel Kamenetsky)

    Its not as clear cut as you make it to be.

  8. I am willing to sign a petition forcing all our institutions to make vaccination a prerequisite for admission. We should all band together and insist they we will avoid institutions which allow entry to children who weren’t vaccinated.

  9. Why is it only the children that somehow spread diseases? Why don’t the rabbanim and doctors roll up their sleeves and get all the vaccines that are needed to keep the public safe? Start with the meningitis , pneumonia , shingles, and Hep A And B . The adults are definitely bringing these diseases into the community. My child doesn’t have to protect all the adults . So line up and get your vaccines to protect the children.

  10. Yes, it’s right to be worried about measles, but people have forgotten that it’s just as important to be vaccinated against rubella (or, as it used to be called, “German measles”). A pregnant woman who contracts rubella passes it on to her unborn baby, and that baby can be born CH deaf, blind, mentally handicapped or more. And who spreads this “harmless childhood disease?” Why, unvaccinated children, of course. And this seriously affected frum/Orthodox communities, too. In fact, at one time the OU had a special group for deaf children, with programs conducted in American Sign Language, because there were so many deaf children. There were halachic debates about whether a child who had learned to communicate fluently in American Sign Language counted as a “cheresh” or not. And then there were the blind, and RL the deaf-blind, and those with lifelong learning disabilities.

    If you worry about children being autistic, think how much more it would affect them to be deaf or blind or mentally handicapped, or how you would feel if your neighbor caught rubella from your unvaccinated child?

    “Lo sa’amod al dam rei’echa!”

  11. I find it somewhat ironic that my cousin, who is one of the founding members of this group, was once telling me that he doesn’t believe his kids school should be accepting kids who come from a different type of home than his, because his kids will be exposed, is now saying all schools should be forced to put their current students at risk and exposed to deadly diseases!
    I doubt he sees the irony

  12. so the views of R’ Shmuel Kamenetzky don’t deserve an honorable mention in this article? He is anti-vax
    Academic honesty is important, even if you disagree with a specific point of view.

  13. To “moishe” and “Devsch”

    I am no rabbi nor an MD, but I do come from the “old” country (born just after WII and my parents were survivors of WWII) so they told me what it was like before WWII and let me tell state a few known facts. Some people (usually runs in families) have natural immunity to certain diseases. Thus there were three types of “yichus” – or desirable family trees to marry into: Intelligence (Rabbinic families), money (rich business families), or longevity (family member naturally live to long lives). Natural immunity does not necessarily mean the person does not contract the disease. It also means the person survives the disease with little damage.

    But I also learned a little history (I suppose you will call it fake, but for the readers who are rational here is some history). Before the Spaniards (Cortez) arrived in what is today Mexico, the estimated population was 25 million or more. Within 50 years the population was down to 3 million, mainly due to diseases (and largely the same diseases we vaccinate here for) that the Spaniards (who had natural immunity to some extent) brought with them as carriers of the disease.

    But, while there is such naturally immunities to these diseases, these diseases also mutate, so that one day those with the natural immunity will no longer be immune.

    And i looked up your “brady measels” – you are referring to a sitcom episode on TV? A sitcom was not going to show death and disabilities. They never showed the horrors of atomic radiation or nuclear devastation, so does that prove there is nothing to those fears?

  14. Hey Lakewood! There’s no reason for you to panic parents for absolutely no reason. First of all what is unsafe for vaccinated kids to sit in a class with a few unvaccinated kids? If they are vaccinated than nothing should happen to them. Right? Doesn’t that make sense? Also, Nobody ever dies from the Measles… It’s Like saying the kid died from a big cold. They die from the horrible vaccine that consists of the most disgusting and unsafe ingredients that you can’t even imagine. We have more sick children out than ever before. The Children’s hospitals are packed. Whats Going On? Why? Arent, they vaccinated? Obviously, there’s something very wrong with our corrupt system. If you do some research you will find out that there’s a whole world out there that’s against this vaccination scam. It seems that in our neighborhoods we have to do whatever we are told to do because otherwise…. The doctors are making so much money & kickbacks from the pharma companies like you cant imagine. Yes, even the big doctors in LW wont admit it to you. How many patients do they all have? Try to do the math? Its gonna take a while. There’s plenty of reason for any smart or concerned parent to do some research before they load up their child’s bloodstream with all sorts of medication and drugs. Yes, The FDA website says vaccination is medication. Does Hashem bring down an unperfect baby to the world? Does he not know what he’s doing? Or are we taking a precious little baby and drugging them up because of all the pressures from others? Don’t fall for people or State/Government systems that have an agenda. It’s your Child! He may be okay after his vaccination today. However ho do you know it cant harm him in 20 years from now? Do Research!!!

  15. My daughter is a teacher for over 18 years and, naturally, works with children. She tells me that those children that do not get vaccinated are the most susceptible to whatever is going around in the classroom. And when they do get ill, they always have a more difficult time getting over their illness. I remember before the polio vaccine how terrified people and children were of everything. The vaccine has saved thousands from getting polio…You have to be rational about what you do or don’t do—as in everything in life.

  16. To Kavod…..if you are trolling, its not really funny. If you are really as dumb as your mindless comments would suggest, than you should be given dispensation for not knowing what your saying. If deliberately trying to endanger large numbers of people, more likely than not that you and yours will be at the front of the line.

  17. Kavod Habriot- no time now to respond to all your points but regarding the mortality rates you are way off. Measles is far far far more serious than a “big cold”

    Taken from Wiki (sourced from Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. )
    No other vaccine-preventable disease causes as many deaths. In 1980, 2.6 million people died of it, and in 1990, 545,000 died; by 2014, global vaccination programs had reduced the number of deaths from measles to 73,000.

  18. @Uri22
    I don’t believe you, that H’goan HaRav Shmuel Kamentsky said they are unsafe. You never heard that from him.
    (He may Tell people you can’t be force vaccinate against your will if you don’t want to.)
    But he never said they are dangerous. If he held it was a sokanah, how would he allow people to take them!
    I have his number, call him.

  19. autoimmune diseases on the on the rise. chronic illness is on the rise.
    we are trading common childhood illness for chronic illness and cancer
    why do we think we are in control and can control illness???????
    Hashem runs the world and that is the bottom line.
    don’t be an oiber chochom
    you want to vaccinate go ahead
    but don’t ban ppl who decide not to. they are not carrying diseases!!!!!!!

  20. Rikki – I remember too. And I remember the kids who “only had the measles” and ended up with meningitis. And my parents remembered the days before the diphtheria vaccine when sometimes three or four children out of a family would die within a few weeks.

    And I would like to warn those who are doing “research” on the internet. Anybody can put anything on the internet. That’s one reason why some gedolim against it. It isn’t just kefira you have to be careful about. The amount of misinformation on health and science is incredible. If you have questions, go to your local library and ask the reference librarians to find you reliable sources.

    George G – nothing to do with TV! “German measles” is what people of my parents’ generation used to called rubella, because the rash is similar. But the harm it does to innocent children is horrendous.

    Don’t believe everything you see on the internet, or what the guys in the kiddush club say, or what your second cousin tells you at the simcha. Your children’s health, and the health of your neighbors’ children, is too precious to risk.

  21. “There are many other Gedolim who have said vaccinations are not safe (Reb Shmuel Kamenetsky)”

    Is he on record as saying this?
    His close talmidim say this is not true.

  22. “There are many other Gedolim who have said vaccinations are not safe (Reb Shmuel Kamenetsky)”

    Besides Rav shmuel who you are slandering, please name a few more (or am violating lifnei iver by inviting you to slander more gedolim)

  23. The only reason Reb Shmuel Kamenetsky joined the anti vax crusade is because of his wife. There is an autistic child in the family & his wife decided to blame it on vaccines. His source that he made his halachic decision on was not based on true medical research.

  24. M:

    You wrote: “People who use vaccinations show that they lack complete emunah in Hashem’s refuah. True ma’aminim will avoid vaccinations and medicines in general. Ani Hashem rofecha, ani vlo malacha, ani vlo rofeh.”

    Firstly, your attempt to create drashos from the posuk is foolish. The Chazal specifically state “מכאן שניתן רשות לרופא לרפאות”.

    Second, according to your logic, the Rambam, Ramban, and others were oveir on the issur implied in your homemade “drasha”.

    Have you ever learned mishnayos that describe the halachos relevant to the רופא? Check them out. They are not referring to a blaspheming עובד עבודה זרה. After you complete some study of what the Torah states about doctors, return here and explain to us all how your דרשה still has any validity. To me, it is fiction.

    No one questions that הקב”ה is behind everything in health. We recite the bracha of אשר יצר multiple times daily, acknowledging that it is He that created a functioning human body and provides the energy and השגחה to insure that things continue to function properly. It is the סייעתא דשמיא that enables doctors to administer their care. The Ramban addresses the obligation to practice medicine based on prevailing scientific knowledge and empirical findings. If those who practice are appropriately qualified, they can serve as the שליח of הקב”ה to bring about the needed healing. We all daven three times a day רפאנו ה’ ונרפא. Going to a doctor is not the slightest distraction from proper אמונה. Try your method of getting to shul without walking – let your belief in Hashem serve to “beam” you there. Stop the foolishness. And do not join the ranks of those who fabricated midrashim to be able to make a point. Torah is complete without your homemade additions.

  25. At the end of the day, nobody here knows anyone with smallpox, which was once one of the most deadly diseases around and now exists only in laboratories. It is unlikely anyone here knows someone with polio, also formerly a major killer. How many people do you know that have died of tetanus or rabies? If you think vaccines are a conspiracy, what else is a conspiracy? Antibiotics? Glasses, which have a massive industry behind them? Doctors bichlal? Are casts or xrays a massive scam too? And how many people are keeping quiet to cover this scam? You would need govt. officials, vaccine company executives, the scientists who design the vaccines, all doctors, and the scientists who do studies on vaccines to all be in on it. That is several million people worldwide keeping quiet. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never seen 5 people keep a secret, let alone millions.

  26. Those who don’t vaccinate don’t realize that they play with fire! They are putting their children at a much greater risk.

    My parents vaccinated us but were not careful in making sure we got all our vaccines (partially because of all the anti vax claims). When I was 20 years old I contracted Mumps which caused orchitis. I now suffer from severe male factor infertility directly caused by it.luckily after many ivf treatments i had a child. But my mother is still tormented by what she caused.

    Aside from that how can someone look at a disease that is causing 150 thousand deaths a year that has a vaccine that can nearly prevent all those deaths (97% effective) and say that because of a few cases of complications its not worth it. The benefits of saving 150 thousand lives a year far outweigh the possible risks! even according to the anti-vaxers there is definitely not a 150 thousand people dying a year from vaccines.

    it is like saying we should not have seatbelts or airbags in cars because sometimes they can cause injuries and deaths etc. No sane person would say that, because the amount of people saved by these devices far outweigh the risks

  27. > abe

    I have no idea what involvement (if any) Rabbi Malkiel Kotler has in this, but your comments show a lack of proper analysis. The question of whether or not to accept a unvaccinated child is completely different than the question of whether to vaccinate.

  28. “not 1 vaccine was ever tested against a true placebo”

    This is false. The clinical trials of the Salk polio vaccine were against a placebo and they were the largest clinical trials ever done in humans — over six hundred thousand participants. Later trials for different vaccines followed; for example measles in the 1960s. New versions of vaccines are not tested against placebos but against older versions because it is unethical to leave anyone unvaccinated. There is no treatment and no cure for polio, measles, and many other of the diseases we are discussing here; the intervention that HaShem has blessed us with are vaccines.

    “Its not as clear cut as you make it to be.”

    No, it is clear cut. Klal Yisrael unanimously accepted the position of Rav Sherira Gaon a thousand years ago that we do not understand Chazal’s medicine and must rely upon doctors rather than rabbis for medical advice. Those who do not vaccinate for any reason other than a medical contraindication (which are rare) have rejected that position.

    Kudos to Rabbi Hoffman for stating the truth.

  29. @frdm I heard it from R’ Shmuel from his own mouth. I went over to him at a chasuna and had a conversation with him about it.

  30. Why don’t we all focus on the important part of this issue?? Are we willing to give up our freedom in order to debate this issue?? Are we going to allow government to decide what we should do with our bodies?
    That might suit some of you now. But then we’ve already lost our chance to be free, to make other decisions for ourselves. Are we mad??? Let each of us decide what we want for our families. how dare we allow government and others to control our personal decisions?

    Instead of talking sentiments, some fact may be in order. According to the FDA, 10 to 25 micrograms of aluminum are allowed. On the first day of life, your children are injected with Hep B that contains 250 micrograms of aluminum! All in the name of safety. Hep B is a lifestyle choice disease, nothing to do with a frum woman that isn’t a prostitute, drug addict, in prison or handling affected blood. Additionally, a woman can be tested before her birth if she is afraid that she may be carrying the disease. Let each family make their own decisions about whether they want to inject neurotoxins into their child’s brain on the first day.

  31. Freedom Fighter; Heb B shot on birth is optional. Per our family pediatrician’s guidance we don’t do that shot. We follow his schedule.

  32. If a doctor or Rav feels that vaccines are completely safe and effective then they should sign a written document that they will take FULL responsibility in this world and the next world if a vaccine injury should occur. It should be published and handed to all of klal yisroel.

  33. Why wasn’t my comment posted??? It contained crucial information and no propaganda! Simple facts! And you’re afraid to post that?!?!? you take achrayus to hold back information from the public???

  34. I can’t stand articles like this. there is so much wrong with it that it will take me a full day to comment on it all.
    the fact is that are plauseable reasons to not vaccinate. After doing almost a full year of research on this topic, I have come to the conclusion that the CDC is in bed with the Pharma and can not be trusted. Most of the CDC statistics on vaccines are manipulated.

  35. charliehall: Would you kindly look up the New England Journal Of Medicine, Aug 13 1992 , search hep a vaccine trial Monroe Wertzberger. Over 500 kids received the new hep a vax & 500 received the “placebo” which contained 300mcg aluminum & mercury, You call that chemical soup a real placebo ?

  36. Freedom fighter: you are 100% correct. The issue here should be whether or not to let government dictate what is mandated for our children when it should really be our choice. Allowing the government to take control is a serious step in the wrong direction. Weather Pro or anti vaccine I think we all would agree to that.

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