NEW YORK (JTA) – Two Hasidic synagogues defended New York Mayor Bill de Blasio from charges of anti-Semitism and called on members of their communities to adhere to government social distancing requirements.
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The letters – issued on Thursday by two rival factions of the Satmar Hasidic community in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn – offered praise for the mayor. De Blasio, who has long enjoyed a close relationship with the Hasidic community, was widely criticized this week for singling out “the Jewish community” after a large Hasidic funeral drew a crowd of thousands into the street. Both letters denounced de Blasio’s critics, in particular those who accused the mayor of anti-Semitism, while calling on their communities to work with law enforcement to avoid behavior that endangers lives.
“Our positions remain consistent,” Mayer Rispler, a leader of the Aronim faction, wrote. “We do not condone any behavior that puts people at risk and pledge to keep working alongside the brave men and women of the NYPD in addressing and eliminating any such occurrences.”
“At the same time, we want to disavow the attacks and derogatory language against our mayor, from people from outside the community and from reckless people among us,” Shaul Perlstein, a leader of the Zaloynim faction, wrote in a letter that was shared widely on Twitter. “We call upon the entire community not to be drawn into their views and not be influenced by those big-mouths on hotlines and the internet who are trying to kindle a fire of hate, it shall never happen.”
The letters come at the end of a week in which the mayor has come under withering criticism from the Jewish community over his tweet. Dozens of Jewish leaders signed a letter this week asking for a meeting, saying the mayor engaged in “scapegoating” the Jewish community, playing into anti-Semitic tropes.
But the letters from the Satmar synagogues served as a public reminder that the community’s leadership remained in lockstep with the mayor.
“The close relationship between Mr. De Blasio and our community go back close to two decades, during which time we have come to know, respect and appreciate his understanding and sensitivity to the unique needs of our community,” Rispler wrote. “We consider him a dear friend and pray for his success.”
I wonder why they would $ay that.
Hmm…
Vomit!!! BLA BLA!!! $$$$$$$
Finally some words of wisdom from both sides. As someone who grew up in Williamsburg but married in another Jewish neighborhood, I was very upset with my brethren in Williamsburg and even more disgusted with those always ready to ignite a fire without consideration of the pain and suffering they to be inflicted upon all Jews over the world. Those reckless big mouths or allowing the anti semites to point fingers at all Jews to say that we are at fault for all their problems. Remember, even if they are right they still wrong as we are in exile by the will of Hashem and we are supposed to bow are heads and not always be in the headlines as people disobey the rule of the States they live in.
We must unite a half million orthodox ny state Jews and outvote every liberal democRAT. They hate us with a passion. Let’s start taking them down. We are not sheep to the slaughter. We can do it.
B’H They have the seichel and praise the Mayor,Governor. We live in the Goles and need them every day. In effect we need to make the Mayor and Governor a Mishe Berach every Shabbos and davening for their health and well being. Its a Jewis custom and tradition in the Goles for 100s of years. Cuomo is the Head Of The STATE. DBalsioi is the Head of the City. We owe them our gratitude. They ire involved in our every day life from schools to Police etc. The POTUS,Congres,Senate,SCOTUS is not as important in our life. NATO,Foreign Policy etc has very littele influence to us,nevertheless we can bless them too.
Remind this yukels who Simcha Spira was and were sucking up ended up getting him
Follow the money.
Let’s substitute to the word Jewish with the word Black.
” My message to the Black community is simple. The time for warnings is over”
How do you think that would play itself out? He would be tarred and feathered throughout the country, and probably forced to resign.
We must realize that cuomo the governor has turned ny state into Sodom. No wonder we are being killed off from shemayim.
I find most of the comments here disgusting.
I think the Satmar rebbes are saying what needs to be said, to stay far away from the next, the amount of religious people infected is higher than the national average and we have lost many good rabbonim who did not heed social distancing.
Even in the close Satmar families they have suffered from the virus. To say that they are kissing up to the mayor is disgusting. Satmar does not need the money or the influence; they want healthy chassidim.
What ever happened to “don l’caf zechus”?
What’s going to happen next time there’s a simcha, or G-d forbid a funeral? Will these “leaders” tell the community to stay away?
Follow the money.
Just take a look at viscous double standard today. In other areas the cops are giving out masks and in willi they are giving out summonses. Lousio is a viscous anti semite. Wake up jews and throw the dems out of office
The only reason they are supporting this viscous anti semite is more money for programs. He is the worst mayor on the history of New York with absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever. He takes pride in emptying the jails of criminals. He is on the side of criminals and against all law abiding citizens. Shame on New York for voting him.in.
Chuck this De Blasio out. He is not wanted. We need a jewish mayor. Please G -d may there be no further jewish deaths from this virus.