The Man in the Mirror

Governor Cuomo has now used his national platform to spew his hate-driven messaging, going as far as to call Coronavirus an “orthodox jewish issue,” accusing the jewish community of not being willing to follow the rules, and entertaining anti-Semitic tropes such as calling the jewish community a “politically powerful community.” 

With such incendiary language, says Eichenstein, Cuomo is “shamelessly stoking the embers of anti-semitism.”

If anyone is stoking those embers, It is Eichenstein himself by imputing nefarious motives to Cuomo.  Although Cuomo could have been expressed it more delicately (if the language quoted by Eichenstein is accurate) Eichenstein surely knows those motives do not exist. Which means that Eichenstein is just another politician pandering to a constituency that actually believes they do exist. 

I generally have no quarrel with people that disagree with me. On the contrary, I like to hear opposing views on just about any subject. It tends to clarify and sharpen my own views. In some cases it actually inclines me to modify them. In rare cases it actually changes my views. 

But in this case, I find it hard to do that. Even though the issues that concern Eichenstein and his constituents are legitimate and deserve a fair hearing. It is hard because at the end of the day lives are at stake. 

This does not mean that those concerns should not be addressed. They absolutely should. Many of those concerns are important – even vital to their very real religious needs.  Needs that should not be summarily dismissed by government fiat. There is a delicate balance between health and education that needs to be addressed.

But the overriding concern should always be protecting the lives and health of the people he serves. When there is a conflict between health and - for example - religious education one must choose health. As vital as a religious education might be for a myriad of legitimate reasons, it is always secondary to protecting one's health. There should never be a compromise about that. Education can be delayed. Not protecting one's health is a dangerous proposition. From which - if postponed - one may not be able to fully recover if at all! 

To assume the governor and the health officials that guide his decisions do not understand the value of education is an assertion without an ounce of evidence. Nor is there evidence that even religious education is disregarded. That would imply a callousness that has never been shown by the governor or the people entrusted to protect our health. 

Being an educated professional does not automatically mean that one is a godless atheist. Even if that education is in the field of science or medicine. There are plenty of Orthodox Jewish scientists and plenty of Orthodox Jewish doctors. Most of them (at least those without a political agenda) tend to generally agree with the restrictions imposed on Orthodox communities in New York. They understand the science. They understand what is at stake. 

Now that the antisemitism card is being played - that may by itself spike an antisemitic backlash. It might be interpreted as a ploy by Orthodox Jews to get their way. Thereby endangering their neighbors with super-spreader events like the proposed (and now canceled) Satmar wedding of 10,000 invitees! Not an unreasonable fear. 

So as I said, if you want to know who is guilty of shamelessly stoking the embers of antisemitism, Simcha, you might want to look in the mirror.