The Following statement was provided to YWN following the decision by NY Governor Cuomo to place limitations on Shuls in COVID hotspots:
Governor Cuomo’s surprise mass closure announcement today, and limit of 10 individuals per house of worship in “red zones,” is appalling to all people of religion and good faith. We have been down this path before, when religious practices were targeted for special treatment by the Governor’s Executive Order in May. A suit was filed challenging the Governor’s Order then (in which Agudath Israel filed an amicus brief), and the court found it unconstitutional. Repeating unconstitutional behavior does not make it lawful.
Moreover, it should be made clear that the Governor’s reference to a “good conversation” he had earlier today with a group of Orthodox Jewish leaders was largely a one-way monologue, and contained no mention of this new plan.
Agudath Israel intends to explore all appropriate measures to undo this deeply offensive action.
A final message to our community: We have considerable concerns that Governor Cuomo’s capricious actions will weaken compliance with good health practices. We cannot allow our – perhaps justifiable – anger at government to imperil our neighbors’ health.
YWN has learned that the “appropriate measure that Agudah mentions is the immediate filing of a court injunction.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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35 Responses
You people in NY voted and keep voted theses rats into office.
I will be voting for Trump (doubt he will win, at this point, but I am praying)
This religious discrimination can happen only in one party State run by Democrats. Expect this to happen in all the states if Gd forbid Marxists win 2020.
Seek President Donald Trump to bellow at Cuomo & make total utter hell for him.
Notwithstanding:- Everyone on 13th Avenue MUST wear face masks:- Zero Exceptions!!
The whole idea is to divert from the nursing home deaths that the governor caused,,,,,,,As far as the Agudah is concerned they have proven themselves as a political group who just adore self promoting glorification
We need new leadership
A perfect example of government tyranny !!
It Seems that the Governor seeks to keep testing the waters to see what he can and can’t get away with, It all depends on how complacent and lazy the majority of the population is, There is no doubt that we are being challenged by very dark/evil forces. However, we must NEVER give up, or give in to fear. If anything, the challenge calls for everyone to become 100% FEARLESS. One thing we must all do, is to unite in order to confront, pray, fight, and defeat the forces of darkness that are standing up against us. Thus, we must RESIST, REFUSE, REJECT and be ready (prepare) to PUSHBACK with all of our strength, commitment and determination.
With a ‘stroke of the pen’ the Governor has alienated every scientist and doctor with a conscience and half a brain. Very foolish. Even the average ‘normal’ person is starting to look into who is writing this stuff, where their ‘allegiances’ lie, and who is publishing it, and why, Very foolish indeed.
Finally some action out of the agudah. We need to wage an all out war against cuomo. Whatever it takes. Protests getting arrested everything.
If we lack the courage to resist Cuomo and De Blasio, would we have the courage that in the future will be needed to stand up to more serious challenges. If any occasion called for mass civil disobedience it it this.
Do our Rabbanim have the courage to throw away access to patronage by challenging the evil decree?
AVINU MALKINU KALEIY ES HARASHA CUOMO VES HARASHA DEBLASION
TISROF OSEM BE-EISH
whoa, no more mr. nice guy, eh?
I think the bottom line is about whether or not we’re following the rules of wearing masks and practicing social distancing. If masks aren’t worn and we have a laid-back attitude, then this is what may happen.
i do not understand what the aguda is kvetching about. unfortunately there are far too many people out there who are of the opinion that the guidelines set forward by CDC etc and affirmed by the vast majority of doctors, including frum ones, do not really apply to klal yisroel. with this mindset, the only way to drop the spread is with a sledge hammer !
Is it actually the restrictions on shuls and other large gatherings, specifically, that Agudah has called “appalling” and declared that they will challenge legally? (That is how it would appear to me from this article, but it is not quite clear.) If so, why? While I am not convinced that such a measure is warranted, I am also not convinced that it is not warranted either. (Wouldn’t merely restricting those at heightened risk from attending indoor minyanim with more than a minimum number of people be sufficient?)
The closing of yeshivos/schools, however, seems not only entirely unwarranted and unjustified to me, but also entirely counterproductive. Shouldn’t that take priority in choosing our battles?
With respect, I think the Agudah should accept and recognize more responsibility on behalf of the community. Significant portions of the shuls and community members were not complying with health guidelines. The governor and mayor have responsibility to the state/city at large, which the Agudah does not. Is it really unexpected?
As Rav Mayer Twerski wrote on April 22(“V’Chai Bohem”, Torah Web; see his most recent essay before Succos posted there):
“While nothing else compares to the gravity of chillul Hashem, we must not ignore other severe consequences of our failures on this front. The chillul Hashem stemmed from the flippant attitude adopted to an immense danger to life. Who can possibly measure the dreadful ramifications of this attitude? Only God Himself can truly know.
At this juncture, our obligation is twofold. We must mend — to the extent that such is possible — the mistakes of the past, while simultaneously, prospectively, charting a communal path which accords with the authentic Torah position.
Regarding the past mistakes, we are obligated to publicly declare our guilt in having been willingly blind and deaf to the manifest reality and being shockingly flippant about the immense danger posed by that very reality. As for the future, we must emphasize — clearly and decisively — that the Torah demands our absolute alacrity in the face of danger to life. We must not look for pro forma loopholes or so-called solutions which –at best– may mitigate, but certainly will not eliminate, the dangers of this disease. The Torah absolutely condemns and forbids acting in a way which – under any circumstances – may allow for the death of a Jew”
GO GET HIM and STOP voting for democrats
Pack the shuls in to your hearts content. Please just don’t come to the hospitals when you get sick. New Yorkers were really tired of your primadona, ignoring of all rules that you don’t like strategy. I remember your community leaders cutting the chains off public park gates while the entire city was abiding by the laws and struggling to fight off the covid spread. You are selfish, unfriendly neighbours in a city that has been pulling together for months to save lives. Your contribution to the community beyond your members is zero. At least don’t insist on the right to spread a deadly virus and kill others.
Looking to buy 500 black lives matter flags for my Shul for the kids to dance on Simchas Torah
Let’s be real
Many frum Jews in these neighborhoods didn’t follow the rules
They thought they knew better
They got sick
Now the government is fed up
What did you expect
There is no case, because shuls are being treated more leniently than businessness. Chief Justice Roberts pointed this out in a similar case from another state earlier this year.
Wake up men. This is not about Shuls. It’s about control of all people, Jews and non Jews are being led to the slaughter house by the satanic world government. The Fed just said it is phasing cash out, going digital. Covid lockdown is not just affecting Jews, it’s equally affecting non Jews. Satan’s minions are pushing fear to make us scared to force us to take a dangerous bill gates vaccine with God knows what evils are in it. Wake up. Jews have big power, realize Satan is attacking us all and we have to fight back
I repeatedly said that this is outright anti-Semitism and targeted harassment of the Jewish community which has been conveniently scapegoated because we don’t scream and riot and make noise…and because we are Jews. This has nothing to do with wearing masks as we have seen a huge increase in the last 2 weeks with masses of people in our community putting on masks because of pressure from our askunim who tried to prevent this scenario. But I said the entire time that they don’t care about masks only they want to control us and destroy our lifestyle. This has been done repeatedly throughout history, it’s not a new phenomenon. And they always had seemingly valid excuses.
The supposedly high positive cases and death rates is an outright lie, there are communities that have much higher rates. The frum communities rates of infected individuals is average. Sometimes there may be a spike as in all communities, these numbers fluctuate. Many non-Jewish communities where the numbers are really high, much higher than in the frum neighborhoods were never admonished or targeted like the Jewish community.
I want to wish much hatzlacha for Agudas Yisroel in fighting this and I hope many other factions in the frum communities join the legal fight as well.
How many of our Acheinu Beit Yisrael have to die of COVID? How many are on the cover page of this website? We shouldn’t need the governor to tell us to close our shuls. Our rabbeim (who have become more politicians than teachers of Torah) should close the shuls themselves and keep them closed until this plague abates. Smachot should be cancelled or kept to the bare minimum on penalty of cherem! How many Yidden got the virus, were hospitalized, or died attending a wedding or bar mitzvah? We don’t do weddings during Sfirat HaOmer because of something that happened 1,900 years ago! Our community is dying before our eyes, not 2000 years ago! And we have to embarrass ourselves in front of the secular gov’t for the sake of what…? “Religious freedom”? לֹא הַמֵּתִים יְהַלְלוּ יָהּ, וְלֹא כָּל יֹרְדֵי דוּמָה
Repeating an unconstitutional behavior is a crime! RECALL Cuomo NOW! He won’t survive a recall especially with bail reform under his belt. All we need is 15% of total voter turn out of his previous election to sign a recall and he’ll be out!
are the nursing homes exempt from the shutdown?
While court action is useful in the short run, it is just a matter of time before the next attack of this anti-Semitic liberal against Klal Yisroel. Our community needs to address this situation is another way. We need to vote en masse. We need to depose every one of these liberal politicians, and eject them from office. We cannot afford to have these moral degenerates governing us and holding onto power. Speak loudly in the voting booth. That voice can be louder than all the askanim who have sold us out for their own wealth and kuvid.
What a joke!! I’m sure Cuomo is shaking in his shoes from fear of the Agudah. He knows he purcha$ed the votes of the “frum” community and has nothing to worry about from us. The “leaders” of our community (who elected/chose them anyway? I don’t remember being asked about it) $old them$elve$ and us for a few dollars and self-promoting photo-ops and now we are paying the price. With leadership like this, we would be better off with anarchy.
Who voted for him?
Let’s continue to supprt & vote the Democrat tickets!
*B C D* Biden, Cuomo, & de Blasio! They best serve our needs!
Isn’t that really what we’re doing?
How much Jewish money and support went to elect these? All top notch public servants, Right?
Let’s get our heads together!
Good Luck in court with some demonrat judge. Much better would be to make all chol hamoed trips this week to the kings home and drive him mad.
Governor Cuomo yms’h is a mafioso bully who only understands bullying back.
איך האָב דאָס געזאָגט, מוז איך זאָגן צו אַלע רעבעס און ראש ישיבה, אז דאָס איז אויך אייער שולד. איר דאַרפֿן צו זיין זייער שטרענג אין דיין שול. מ’קען נישט אריין לאָזן ווער ס’האט נישט אַ מאַסק אָדער אריין לאָזן ווער ס’האט די מויל און נאָז זענען נישט רעכט באדעקט.
עס איז נישט אַז איך גלויבן אין אַלע די נארישקייט, אָבער עס איז קלאָר אַז אויב זיי וואָלט זען אַז מענטשן זענען טריינג, אויב זיי וואָלט נישט זיין ווי אַנטאַגאַניסטיק אויף דעם אַספּעקט.
(I have no idea where Google learned yiddish. However, I see that it needs to go a real yeshiva)
Andrew Cuomo is b’gematria “Idiot” and “sonei yisroel”.
Taking appropriate action is wise but to let throngs of our BOCHURIM w/o masks and irresponsible Yungeleit screaming and stopping buses is a blatant CHILUL HASHEM!
G d doesnt need our Torah if we demand it thru violence. Its a total disgrace!!!
Go learn Torah u boys out there. Make a Kidush Hashem by behaving like a Yid ALTHOUGH this decree hurts. Were GALUS YIDDN and by screaming HEWS LIVES MATTER, we just stop short of being compared to them.
FINALLY.
The issue isn’t that we don’t want Covid restrictions. It’s that WE’RE TRYING. Yes, we should wear masks for whatever safety they do provide and to respect others. AND WE DO. Every shul you enter has a box of masks at the entrance and a sign about wearing one. Jewish establishments haven’t been allowing unmasked patrons inside. In my YT prep I’ve been to three Jewish neighborhoods. Jews are basically all wearing masks – EVEN IN BORO PARK. The claims that Cuomo is making are libelous and harmful to all Jews. We’re abiding by the guidelines and still getting hammered by the Governor and the Mayor.
The general public hears about this once on the news and they think, “Jews are spreading Covid. Jews aren’t following guidelines.” It just isn’t true. And what makes it scary is that this is how the Non-Jews justify hate crimes against us. “They don’t listen to the rules, so someone has to do something about it.” I’ve heard this statement, in various forms, countless times.
The sentiment in Jewish communities is one of fear and dread. What are they going to say about us/blame on us next?
I see too many Jewish commenters stating that we brought this on ourselves. We didn’t. We’re wearing masks. We just opened schools and pray together 3x a day and masks, even with distancing, are only so effective.
It must be mentioned that Cuomo wasn’t even willing to work with Jewish camps or schools even when they WERE following or exceeding precautions taken in guidelines. Had Cuomo been logical about us opening Summer Camps, when we would have had groups tested, then isolated away from the public, then maybe the Jews would consider if he’s doing this for our benefit. A few weeks ago the government went around closing Jewish schools that WERE following guidelines. It’s simply anti-Semitism. He doesn’t care about our safety, or the safety of New Yorkers. He wants power and an already ostracized and libeled community is a perfect scapegoat.
Sorry but
The concept is self-centered libertine
Want to blow it all up?!
We got Democrat governors Cuomo,Murphy of all people to show steep heavily active concern for human life with all positive Ripples and repercussions probable in the coming years !?
Wish to bear the enormous culpability for causing them throwing in the towel?!
If this is the Agudah of today, we are truly doomed.
So the governor calls to limit shul attendance to 10.
How many people do you think the king of all kings wants in shul? Zero!
A few drops of rain, and Hashem wants you out of the succah. How about a few drops of dead?
וּבְפָרִשְׂכֶ֣ם כַּפֵּיכֶ֗ם אַעְלִ֤ים עֵינַי֙ מִכֶּ֔ם גַּ֛ם כִּֽי־תַרְבּ֥וּ תְפִלָּ֖ה אֵינֶ֣נִּי שֹׁמֵ֑עַ יְדֵיכֶ֖ם דָּמִ֥ים מָלֵֽאוּ׃