Orthodox Borough Park Residents Burn Masks, Beat Dissenters Over COVID Lockdown

[edhopper]

https://gothamist.com/news/orthodox-borough-park-residents-burn-masks-beat-dissenters-over-covid-lockdown

Today in Stupid Religion:

Hundreds of members of Brooklyn's Orthodox community stormed the streets and synagogues of Borough Park on Tuesday night to protest new coronavirus restrictions imposed by Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Pledging "war" on officials and public health guidance, demonstrators clad in black religious garb set fires along 13th Avenue and tossed masks into the flames. They chased away NYC Sheriff's Deputies while shouting "Jewish Lives Matter," video shows, and attacked a photojournalist attempting to capture the scene.

Christians aren't the only crazy religious Trump supporters.

[renate]

1. They sound nice.

[58Sunliner]

2. Just wow and ugh.

[Aristus]

3. Orthodox, huh?

Seems to me, in my inexpert view, to go against the Talmud. I remember reading somewhere that, according to the Talmud, any steps taken to preserve life, even if they are against Mosaic Law, like blood transfusions, are to be considered acceptable.

[Mossfern]

5. As a person of Jewish faith

I can tell you that you are absolutely correct.
These people make me embarrassed and ashamed.
In Yiddish - a "shanda."

[Aristus]

11. Thank you.

I remember reading about that very thing, blood transfusions. And that, although the laws of Moses prohibit 'mingling your blood with that of foreigners', which I think was intended to prevent marriages outside of the faith, but has been used to prohibit transfusions, a group of Talmudic scholars got together and agreed that the Talmud urges the preservation of life over simple legal strictures.

I appreciate your help.

[Mossfern]

12. Yes,

saving life "trumps" every law - even that of Shabbat or Kashrut.

[chowder66]

4. Inconsiderate Idiots.

[bullimiami]

6. Stupid comes in all religions.

[pat_k]

7. [An] Orthodox man, who'd opposed. . . a mob of protesters beat him with rocks.

Another Orthodox man, who'd opposed the anti-mask crowd, was deemed a "snitch" and reportedly hospitalized after a mob of protesters beat him with rocks. His brother, Mordy Getz, told Gothamist that he was "severely" injured and knocked unconscious, but was doing better as of Wednesday morning.

This is a Hasidic counter-protestor who called out people in his community today for protesting wearing masks.

There are no words.

[Salviati]

8. Hope they've got some lambs blood for their doors...

... But I don't think that's going to protect them from this plague.

[PJMcK]

9. There are many Orthodox communities in NYC and upstate NY

They are very insular.

[crickets]

10. I don't think this is about supporting trump.

Some of the upset started months ago when there was a call to stop the practice of Kapporos.

https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2020/07/17/kaporos-coronavirus-health-concerns-nyc

UPDATED 2:31 PM ET JUL. 18, 2020 PUBLISHED 3:20 PM ET JUL. 17, 2020
NEW YORK CITY — Anti-Kapporos crusaders are relaunching a legal attack against the Orthodox Jewish ritual — which involves slitting throats of tens of thousands of live chickens in the streets of New York City — arguing the novel coronavirus pandemic presents new evidence it’s harmful to human health.

This was just a couple of months after there was a pushback on large funerals in the Orthodox community.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/29/orthodox-jewish-funeral-that-drew-thousands-was-absolutely-unacceptable-nyc-mayor-says.html

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday a funeral for an ultra-Orthodox rabbi that drew thousands of mourners in Brooklyn “was absolutely unacceptable,” and he warned that police will start issuing summonses or arrest violators at similar gatherings. [snip]

The mayor’s actions, however, also drew criticism on Twitter for singling out the Orthodox Jewish community.

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, said the mayor’s comments were “outrageous, especially when so many are scapegoating Jews.”

The community has been feeling picked on, which I could understand if they were being pressured for any other reason besides "what you're doing is unhealthy during a pandemic and could get lots of people killed." They don't see it that way, though. I dunno - I don't live in NY, so anyone local with more insights, please explain / correct my misunderstandings.

[Mossfern]

13. Fundamentalist idiots

The Mayor's comments were correct. However I wonder if he has made similar comments about gatherings of those of other religions if indeed that did occur.