New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned the Jewish community on the evening of April 28 that the New York City Police Department (NYPD) will arrest people who gather in large groups.
Earlier in the evening, an estimated 2,000 people gathered in Brooklyn for the funeral of Rabbi Chaim Mertz, who died from complications related to COVID-19. Some of the attendees were wearing masks while many others didn’t observe social distancing measures, according to NBC New York. De Blasio and the NYPD showed up at the funeral to disperse the crowd. No arrests were made but The New York Times reported that 12 summonses were issued, including four for refusal to disperse, according to Police Commissioner Dermot F. Shea.
Tipster says this is the Williamsburg funeral today of Rabbi Chaim Mertz who died from COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/wsTvCrlzpb
— Reuven Blau (@ReuvenBlau) April 29, 2020
De Blasio tweeted afterward, “My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is this simple: the time for warnings has passed. I have instructed the NYPD to proceed immediately to summons or even arrest those who gather in large groups. This is about stopping this disease and saving lives. Period.”
My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is this simple: the time for warnings has passed. I have instructed the NYPD to proceed immediately to summons or even arrest those who gather in large groups. This is about stopping this disease and saving lives. Period.
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) April 29, 2020
The Chasidic group Satmar tweeted that the city had given approval for the funeral to occur, but it was unclear if approval was granted with the conditions that participants follow virus protocols. Video of the funeral shows a large group of black-clad participants crowded on the street and on sidewalks.
This Funeral was originally approved and actually organized by @NYPDnews 2 hours b4 it started, PD brought trucks with barriers/tower lights to close off Bedford Avenue and the surrounding area. It's the @NYCMayor’s Dept who originally approved it before deciding to take it back. https://t.co/i1EtGvCkKO
— Satmar Headquarters (@HQSatmar) April 29, 2020
New York’s ultra-Orthodox communities have been hard hit by the virus, and officials cite Chasidic residents’ inclination to gather in large groups as partly responsible, with data suggesting the numbers likely exceed other ethnic and religious groups.
The New York Times reported that “authorities have dispersed several well-attended religious gatherings since restrictions on such events were enacted in the face of the outbreak,” including weddings and funerals in New York neighborhoods with large Jewish populations.
The Times reported that Jacob Mertz, a spokesman for Mertz’s synagogue, Kahal Tolath Yakov, said in a statement that it “came up with a plan to have many streets closed, so that people participate and walk the coffin while following the social distancing rules and wearing masks.”
“Unfortunately, this didn’t pan out, and NYPD had to disperse the crowds,” Mertz, wrote, according to the Times.
He added: “We understand Mayor Bill de Blasio’s frustration and his speaking out against the gathering. As said, we thought that the procession will be in accordance with the rules, and we apologize that it turned out otherwise. It also hurts that this led to singling out the Jewish community, and for that we apologize to all Jewish people. We know that the mayor’s reaction came from his concern to the health of safety of our community and the entire city, and it wasn’t ill-intentioned. We share that concern. Health and live takes precedence to anything else, and we shall all follow those rules.”
Statement by Congregation Kahal Tolath Yakov – Rabbi Mertz OBM's synagogue – regarding the funeral that took place today in Williamsburg and the reaction to it. https://t.co/Gs5Yu2xxen pic.twitter.com/1AuORuWJy6
— WILLIAMSBURG NEWS (@WMSBG) April 29, 2020
The Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council (OJPAC) accused de Blasio of hypocrisy for not condemning the city’s massive crowds who watching the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds flyover earlier in the day.
PHOTO of @NYCMayor @BilldeBlasio failing to social distance moments ago in Williamsburg where people failed to social distance at a funeral the same day that thousands of New Yorkers failed to distance for 45 minutes to watch a flyover. pic.twitter.com/yvxy1aR6Vg
— OJPAC (@OJPAC) April 29, 2020
Jewish groups condemned de Blasio’s tweet.
“Hey @NYCMayor, there are 1mil+ Jewish people in #NYC,” Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted. “The few who don’t social distance should be called out — but generalizing against the whole population is outrageous especially when so many are scapegoating Jews. This erodes the very unity our city needs now more than ever.”
Hey @NYCMayor, there are 1mil+ Jewish people in #NYC. The few who don’t social distance should be called out — but generalizing against the whole population is outrageous especially when so many are scapegoating Jews. This erodes the very unity our city needs now more than ever. https://t.co/jcYO9QQred
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) April 29, 2020
The American Jewish Committee similarly tweeted: “Mr. Mayor, the vast majority of the Jewish community is following the guidelines. You can find us donating blood, raising money to support our neighbors, and in emergency rooms providing critical care. We deserve better from our leaders than generalizations and fingerpointing.”
Mr. Mayor, the vast majority of the Jewish community is following the guidelines. You can find us donating blood, raising money to support our neighbors, and in emergency rooms providing critical care. We deserve better from our leaders than generalizations and fingerpointing. https://t.co/IbFkEgfYSu
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) April 29, 2020
A couple of members of the New York City Council, which has 51 members, also denounced de Blasio’s tweet.
“Did the Mayor of NYC really just single out one specific ethnic community (a community that has been the target of increasing hate crimes in HIS city) as being noncompliant??” City Councilmember Chaim Deutsch tweeted. “Has he been to a park lately? (What am I saying – of course he has!)”
He added in a later tweet that while people should be socially distancing, “singling out one community is ridiculous. Every neighborhood has people who are being non-compliant. To speak to an entire ethnic group as though we are all flagrantly violating precautions is offensive, it’s stereotyping, and it’s inviting anti-Semitism. I’m truly stunned.”
What???
This has to be a joke. Did the Mayor of NYC really just single out one specific ethnic community (a community that has been the target of increasing hate crimes in HIS city) as being noncompliant?? Has he been to a park lately? (What am I saying – of course he has!) https://t.co/LYKnUZm2Mc
— Chaim Deutsch (@ChaimDeutsch) April 29, 2020
But singling out one community is ridiculous. Every neighborhood has people who are being non-compliant. To speak to an entire ethnic group as though we are all flagrantly violating precautions is offensive, it’s stereotyping, and it’s inviting antisemitism. I’m truly stunned.
— Chaim Deutsch (@ChaimDeutsch) April 29, 2020
City Councilmember Kalman Yeger similarly tweeted: “Mr. Mayor, your words are unacceptable. To condemn our entire community over one group of people is something you would not do to any other ethnic group, and I know you long enough to know that you know this.”
Mr. Mayor, your words are unacceptable. To condemn our entire community over one group of people is something you would not do to any other ethnic group, and I know you long enough to know that you know this. https://t.co/tkKQrc0bXA
— Kalman Yeger (@KalmanYeger) April 29, 2020
David Hazony, executive director of The Israel Innovation Fund, had a differing view. He tweeted that while he doesn’t like de Blasio as a mayor and that the phrasing of the tweet was dumb, “the outrage here should be first of all at those who recklessly endanger the lives of others.”
Ok I’ll play. I think De Blasio is awful & his delayed response hugely responsible for catastrophe in NYC. But any rabbi who doesn't ban gatherings in middle of a pandemic is not just a hilul hashem. He is physically endangering everyone else. Knowingly. Tweet doesn’t bother me. https://t.co/5FOulcKJdA
— David Hazony (@davidhazony) April 29, 2020
And just to be clear—I may have been misunderstood. I’m not justifying the tweet or its specific phrasing. Not saying it wasn’t stupid, but rather that in the context it’s not important. The outrage here should be first of all at those who recklessly endanger the lives of others.
— David Hazony (@davidhazony) April 29, 2020
De Blasio addressed the matter in an April 29 news conference, saying that he was angry at the funeral’s crowd and that he will call out any community that engages in such behavior. He also said that doesn’t tolerate anti-Semitism.
“If in my passion and in my emotion I said something that many view as hurtful, I’m sorry about that, that was not my intention,” he said.
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