British Photographer Describes Ordeal At Chareidi Mask-Free Weddings

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LONDON (VINnews) — A British gentile photographer spoke to the London-based Jewish Chronicle about her ordeal in covering illicit Covid weddings for Chareidim, stating that she had stopped working after attending a 300-person Chareidi reception where most people were not wearing masks.

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Marisa D’Alessandro, 55, a freelance photographer at events, was hired to take photos of around a dozen Charedi weddings in June, July and October of last year.

“I assumed that they were abiding by the rules, that everyone would be wearing masks and be socially distanced because that was what the advice was at the time.

“I got to these venues utterly shocked to see no one was wearing a mask, except me, and they’re all looking at me like I’m mad,” D’Allessandro said.

Despite the lack of adherence to rules, the receptions got bigger and bigger as time went by. The last one she attended was a 300-person affair in Stamford Hill in October. Police arrived to break up the gathering, but guests simply grabbed masks and relocated to another venue which had been prepared for such an event.

“The caterer was whipping the tablecloth up, folding the tables up to make it look like there were fewer people at the wedding. It was like watching a comedy show,” D’Allessandro said, adding that she realized what she was doing was wrong.

“I should not have attended wedding.From June, I should have said ‘no’, but I didn’t.

“I just saw the weddings getting bigger and bigger and worse and worse with regards to respecting the regulations. Now if this virus is to be under control then these weddings have to stop.”

 

 


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37 Comments
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Dov Ber
Dov Ber
3 years ago

Nice kiddush Hashem. Seems to be the new way to be a light unto the nations

anonymous
anonymous
3 years ago

If Charedim are going to disregard the laws and regulations of the land at least have the brains NOT to hire a shiksa to do the photography.

Vie iz der seichel, naaronim !

ruby
ruby
3 years ago

no one is denying that the frum communities have schools from prek – kollel open fully , shuls…weddings … so why is their barely any serious covid in america in proportion to the lax behavior… it makes sense that these are super spreaders so where is the spread we should be dropping like flies as we did n the spring.. i follow hatzoloh scanner.. shomrei hadas… ivelt death listings… tri state seems quiet in comparison
what do u make of it

Tony
Tony
3 years ago

Thank G-d the world is small and all the Haredim behave with the same sense of entitlement and lack of concern for others. Haredi weddings are going on everywhere the world over without any concern for the law or their fellow citizens.

CudahyKid
CudahyKid
3 years ago

Of course, the article had to say that it was a “gentile” photographer. The people involved in events like this should be fined.

Samiam759
Samiam759
3 years ago

Something doesn’t sound right about her story. Why are Chasidim hiring a non-Jewish woman to take pictures? There isn’t a Frum person for hire? The people folded up tables or fled to another location as soon as police arrived? Sounds like fake news. I’d have to hear of this happening from at least one other person.

Last edited 3 years ago by Samiam759
Maven
Maven
3 years ago

The term Kiddush Hashem is being thrown around everyone uses it to their agenda.

Fact is there are B’h very few covid cases in the Frum communities besides Israel.

Let the whole world live like crazies and we Frum Yidden will do our duties for reasons we came down on this world to Daven in Shull with Minyan,Mikvah,weddings, having large families, providing Parnosa and etc etc.

Hi there
Hi there
3 years ago

The facts are distorted. The weddings in Stamford Hill are small events nowadays. No 300-people weddings. And apart from that, I don’t hear any Gedoiley Hador saying that there’s a problem, that we should stop making weddings. Most of the frum population have had Covid already and there isn’t any reason for them to not live their lives like normal people with normal social gatherings.

Educated Archy
Educated Archy
3 years ago

Well if they have anti bodies no mask is needed . But I suppose back in June it’s hard to say that most had anti bodies . So mask crticism is fair .
I do say weddings cannot and should not end . We must have continuity .