‘Blood Libel’: Chareidi Workers Separated At Plant For Preparing COVID-19 Test Swabs

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JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Novamed, a Jerusalem-based company which prepares the swabs required for COVID-19 test kits announced Sunday that it was releasing its Chareidi workers to unpaid leave while keeping the rest of the workers. After the Chareidi workers threatened to publicize the decision the company told them that they would be working the evening shift in a separate room from the other workers.

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The company is contracted to supply the Health Ministry with 5000 swabs a day in order to maintain the rate of tests required in Israel. The company numbers some 70 workers of whom 4-6 are Chareidi. They were told that CEO Dr. Emil Katz had decided to release them to unpaid leave. The workers told Walla News that they felt the decision was “antisemitic” and added that “the hatred of Chareidim is worse than the coronavirus. This is a blood-libel.” They claimed that the evening shift has worse conditions than they had previously.

Katz defended his position, stating that in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in Chareidi neighborhoods, he felt that some workers should be isolated. “I have a responsibility to my workers and people who violate the directives of the health ministry, I will do what I feel is right with them, Katz said, adding that one of the workers admitted that they had visited their family for Shabbat three weeks ago. Even though at the time this was permitted, Katz said that on this basis he had decided to separate all of the Chareidi workers.

Katz’s move unleashed a storm of criticism from Chareidi parliamentarians. MK Moshe Gafni asked Economic Affairs minister Eli Cohen to investigate the unfair discrimination against the Chareidi workers and Health Minister Yaakov Litzman instructed his director-general to investigate the matter. Interior Minister Aryeh Deri termed the move “ugly discrimination which stemmed from the incitement against the Chareidi public.” Other Chareidi MKs called for the health ministry to terminate its contract with Novamed.

Prime Minister Netanyahu also referred to the incitement against the Chareidi public and said that he “strongly condemns the unfettered incitement against the Chareidi public which has internalized the danger and the regulations of the health ministry.” He added that “the coronavirus does not distinguish between Chareidim and secular people or between Arabs and Jews. This war is for all of us. Together we will prevail.”


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15 Comments
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anonymous
anonymous
3 years ago

HM? I dont get it. Bnei Brak and other Chareid Cities are the worst hit. Its natural to act on this information just like (Lohavdil) El Al is checking the young Arabs more than Jewish Grandmothers. Call it whatever you want but a Young Muslim is more likely to be a terrorists than a Jewish Babe. The same here. 6 million Jews lives at stake. A Chareidi is more likely to be infected than a nonreligious.

Worried
Worried
3 years ago

I support the company actions

James Dean
James Dean
3 years ago

Yankel, statistics support his comment.

Sruly
Sruly
3 years ago

Smart. The numbers don’t lie!!!!

Just sayin’
3 years ago

While the vast vast majority of Chareidi are fine citizens, those shiftless scoundrels sponging off the rest of us and yell NAZI, when the police come to break up illegal minyanim , Ruin it for the rest us
Time for the “chareidim to start policing themselves or there is going to be a lot more of this
And nobody will have a right to complain

Artofthedeal
Artofthedeal
3 years ago

This Maga POTUS went Bankrupt 4 times and closed TrumpVodka,TrumpSteak,TrumpShirts,TrumpUniversitys and 27 other TrumCompanies. Many Yiden still voted for him . This time under His Management many yiden are dying. Hashem Yerechaim. Mena MAGAifo Minachlosecho.

Joe miller
Joe miller
3 years ago

You behave a certain way you get treated a certain way

pragmatist
pragmatist
3 years ago

“Blood Libel” my foot. Far too many chareidim are flouting the rules and endangering everyone else. This happens in Bnei-Brak, Mea-Shearim, Bet-Shemesh, Monsey, Kiryas Yoel, etc. The odds of being an infected chareidi is far greater than the rest of the population. The rest of us need to be protected. Very sad.

Aleph
Aleph
3 years ago

Stupid, misleading headline. A blood libel is when goyim blamed Jews for killing xtian children to use their blood for Pesach matzoh. This is not a blood libel. The workers should be tested first and laid off if positive.

Jake
Jake
3 years ago

It’s not blood libel. It’s called making a generalization based on evidence as a precautionary measure, which is worth doing. It’s unfortunate but inevitable. It’s why you look over your shoulder at a young man following you but not a woman. Complain to the Gedolim and their contempt for science and medicine.