NEW JERSEY (JTA) – The coronavirus pandemic has spurred anti-Semitic chatter connected to Lakewood, a New Jersey township with a large Orthodox population, on social networks.
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New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy responded by condemning racism connected to the coronavirus.
“Scapegoating, bullying, or vilification of any community is completely unacceptable – today or ever,” Murphy wrote on Twitter. “There is a special place in hell for the small minority that do this during this crisis.”
As of Thursday, Lakewood had 198 COVID-19 cases, by far the most in Ocean County, according to the county Health Department, the Asbury Park Press news site reported. Officials have not said which parts of town or particular communities are experiencing cases.
An online petition that was circulated Thursday called for Lakewood to be “shut down” during the pandemic. It received thousands of signatures but appears to have been removed.
Scapegoating, bullying, or vilification of any community is completely unacceptable – today or ever.
There is a special place in hell for the small minority that do this during this crisis.
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) March 26, 2020
On Facebook, groups for residents of Ocean County and Jackson Township, which borders Lakewood in the southern part of the state, featured maps showing Lakewood spreading the disease.
Murphy also said that there have been a few examples of “non-compliant behavior,” but communities across the state have taken the threat of the virus seriously.
Police in Lakewood last week arrested at least two Jewish men for hosting weddings with more than 50 people present in violation of state rules designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
A third wedding was broken up Thursday, NJ.com reported. The report did not say whether the event was a Jewish one.
Yes, all over MAGA media outlets there’s blaming religious Yidden for the deadly virus. Trump calling it a Dem hoax didnt help.
Another article with false and unverified information by VIN. Let’s see how long it takes for the edits to come
Archy couldn’t care less. Yidden be damned, he needs his “taam” fech! Foya Archy!
It is unacceptable to point out that someone who is not maintaining social distancing is Jewish. But it is acceptable to point out and criticize those Jews who do not maintain social distancing because they believe that as religious Jews they are permitted or obligated to violate the social distancing rules. No different, conceptually, than denouncing Islamic terrorists who commit murder in the NAME of their religion.
So granted it is not JUST religious Jews who violate social distancing in the name of Yiddushkeit who should be denounced. All those who violate the rules should be denounced. But no one gets a pass because they’re not the only ones doing the wrong thing.
Who started the same gender marriage if not the liberal democRATs. Until that stops there is no hope for Heaven listening to us. Be surprised if vin prints this politically incorrect comment.
By the way I got census forms in mail. Threw it in the garabage because they wrote same gender couples. I want nothing with Sodom.