A Brooklyn Yiddish-language newspaper on Friday published a strong editorial written by community leaders in Williamsburg against anti-vaxxers — and took the very rare step of translating it into English.
The op-ed citing religious mandates to vaccinate children appeared in the Der Yid weekly, which was founded in 1953 and is published by Satmar Hasidim, though it is widely read within the wider Yiddish-speaking community. Its circulation is about 55,000.
“It is very rare that we run an English article,” Shia Friedman, administrator at Der Yid, told The Post. “We felt that it’s important to get the message out, not just to Jews but to the world, that we as a community are not against vaccinations.”
It comes a day after opponents of the city’s mandatory measles vaccination order in Williamsburg said they plan to file a lawsuit to fight the compulsory shots.
Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday declared a public health emergency and ordered everyone who lives, works or attends school in four Williamsburg zip codes to get immunized against the disease within 48 hours or face a $1,000 fine.
“The City, doctors, community leaders and the yeshivas are appealing for weeks and months to stop the foolishness that penetrated to a small percentage of observant Jews not to vaccinate their children which led to the spread of the measles outbreak,” the editorial reads.
“Our publication devoted many pages during the past months for reports and announcements regarding the dangers of measles and the importance to vaccinate,” it continues.
“Yet, a small number of stubborn parents still know better,” it says. “We are not doctors; we haven’t studied medicine or statistics like those geniuses warning you about the vaccines. But we do know whom we trust when there is a serious health issue.”
Most rabbis have advocated for vaccination and the editorial said the community should listen to the rabbis — but also to their doctors.
Citing the decree in the Torah, “Venishmartem meod L’nenafshoteichem,” or “Be very careful about your lives,” the leaders write that “if the recognized experts are telling us to vaccinate, then we must do it.”
They continue: “This week we heard some saying that their child had ‘measles’ and it’s wonderful. It’s silly to even respond. No one denies that most people recover from it, but close to one-in-ten are hospitalized, many of them are developing pneumonias, and during the current outbreak five patients in New York were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.”
They note that the infection “can — God forbid — result in the worst, swelling of the brain and more real serious complications. Is a Jew permitted to take the risk because it worked out?!”
Lashing out at the anti-vaccine movement, the community leaders note that “due to their fight, there is now a bill in Albany to prohibit the use of religion as an excuse not to vaccinate.”
“The small group of anti-vaxxers spoke to the press and tarnished the image of observant Jews, as if we can’t be trusted to make the right decisions for our children, and as if we spread infections.”
They add: “We heard of instances in certain areas where people warn to distance from Jews to avoid infections. It reminds of medieval libels that Jews are causing plagues which led to horrible anti-Semitism.
“They may, God forbid, start a fire of hatred to Jews.”