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| Boro Park in 2013 (Illustration taken from the Times of Israel) |
It’s impossible to change the subject. And to overstate the dangers. Changes are happening so rapidly that they cannot – must not - be ignored.
Orthodox Jews in certain areas of New York have been hit particularly hard by COVID-19. In just one day of testing, 100 people in Wlliamsburg and Boro Park have tested positive (out of the 500 that were tested). It is very likely that a lot more will test positive there very soon. Probably in the multiples of 100. And that will likely spread well beyond the borders of those two neighborhoods.
A Hatzalah volunteer quoted in Hamodia said that in Crown Heights, the situation is so bad that just about the entire community is considered to have been exposed. There are 10 patients from that neighborhood that are now on respirators! (Rachmana Litzlan!)
Chicago’s Orthodox community now has at least 4 people that have tested positive. One of whom that I know personally is in an intensive care unit (ICU)! Those numbers are sure to increase.
Every Orthodox institution in Chicago of any kind has been closed.
This is not the time for recriminations. We are all in this together. All of us! When people are getting sick and dying there is no room for blame. Just action.
Let me add the following prayers - adapted from verses that most of us recite twice daily.
Guardian of Israel. Watch over the remnant of Israel. Do not let Israel - who recites the Shema twice daily, be destroyed!
Watch over us - a unique nation. Let not that unique nation that proclaims the unity of Your Name in the Shema - be destroyed.
Guardian of the holy nation, do not let the holy nation that proclaims Your holiness 3 times daily - be destroyed.
Our Father, our King - favor us and answer us. Even though we have no good deeds - deal charitably with us; show us kindness; and save us.