Anti-Vaxxer Rabbi Fired By Synagogue Over Social Media Posts

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A healthcare worker prepares a vaccine at a facility operated by the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center in Rabin Square, Dec. 31, 2020. (Miriam Aster/Flash90)

MASSACHUSETTS (JTA) — A longtime Chabad emissary in Massachusetts was fired after months of social media posts in which he railed against pandemic-related lockdowns and mask mandates.

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In more recent weeks Rabbi Michoel Green, the Hasidic movement’s envoy in Westborough for 20 years, encouraged his followers not to be vaccinated with the new COVID vaccines.

“It’s NOT immunization. It’s pathogenic priming & mass sterilization,” he wrote last week, according to Haaretz.

Anti-vaxxers constitute a small minority in Orthodox communities. In 2019, anti-vaxxers contributed to an outbreak of measles in Orthodox neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Rockland County, New York, that was resolved through vaccination campaigns by government and community groups, as well as barring unvaccinated children from schools.

During the COVID pandemic, in which some Orthodox communities have seen little compliance with mask wearing and social distancing, misinformation about the new vaccines has been spreading for months. Green apparently had been promoting his anti-vaccine views since the 2019 measles crisis, but the posts intensified during the pandemic.

Rabbi Mendel Fogelman, director of the Central Massachusetts Chabad, told Haaretz that Green’s social media posts were “contrary to the organization’s mission and a direct conflict with the sacred task for which he was appointed.”

“It became clear that dismissal was our only choice,” Fogelman said.

Green was dismissed on Jan. 27.

The Westborough area, located about 35 miles outside Boston, “constitutes a second hub of Jewish life in the Central Massachusetts area,” according to the Jewish Federation of Central Massachusetts.


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Krulik
Krulik
3 years ago

Every mossad worldwide needs to learn from this shul to fire a rabbi or yeshiva rebbe when its applicable red lines are crossed – whatever those are for each institution. Too many times I know of a school rebbe who emotionally or physically abused students but no one had guts to fire the teacher.

MTL
MTL
3 years ago

Let’s hear all the anti-Chabad comments now.

Just so you know, we don’t all think like this (just like we’re not all crazy as well). Just saying.
Most of us are actually normal, believe it or not.

lazy-boy
lazy-boy
3 years ago

I think the Lubavitcher Rebbe would have studied the vaccine, and after seeing it was a positive thing, advocated taking the vaccine. this guy is a shmoe….

Yosef
Yosef
3 years ago

The interesting which Vin news forgets to mention is that rabbi green never worked for them he worked for his own organization and merely was originally brought down by rabbi fogelman making his official statement that rabbi green doesn’t represent him anymore just symbolic

Educated Archy
Educated Archy
3 years ago

While I am a Pro vaxer, its sad that people are fired for the views and opinions.

HertzlFontaine
Active Member
HertzlFontaine
3 years ago

Note that while the Rabbi was fired by Chabad, he is fortunately still employed by the synagogue in Westborough, MA

Donny
Donny
3 years ago

The USA is starting to resemble the USSR as it was when I was growing up. You have to consider whether expressing your opinion will get you fired, isolated from coworkers or even prevent future employment.

Yosef
Yosef
3 years ago

Firing Rabbi Green is a PR issue and nothing more. There are many of prominent rabonim who have come out against the vaccine. Unfortunately there are many who are afraid to voice their opinion publicly, being afraid of losing their positions.
Unfortunately, we are living in a time people have a fear of others knowing their thoughts, let alone saying anything publicly for fear of retribution.
So many of you know nothing about Rabbi Green. Yet you are ready to crucify him based on some so called Jewish media outlet’s article(JTA)

Please stop this. We want Moshiach now.

Cocoaman
Cocoaman
3 years ago

Weird Q
THis anti-vaxxer kept his kid home from school because he refused to vaccinate him/her. His child missed over a year of schooling. Miraculously, over 4 doctor visits the child was all caught up. Thats a lot of vaccinations to catch up in a short amount of time especially if your parents are outspoken anti-vaxxers.
There are doctors who are willing to be paid off to “vaccinate” kids and out the data in the city database.
Wonder how the parents would react if the school asks for titers.
Vehameivin yavin.

yossi
yossi
3 years ago

why is a rabbi for?? to teach you whats good and whats rong.. so what that mean fire a rabbi for telling the truth???? telling somthing you dont agree with?? thats why he is a rabbi and you not??

Mandy
Mandy
3 years ago

He should have got a medal, not been fired.

Shmuel
Shmuel
3 years ago

Rabbi green is absolutely right, this vaccine is dangerous!anyway he is still a chabad house rabbi a shliach!just not under that organization.

Ex chabnik
Ex chabnik
3 years ago

Chabad needs to follow in the ways of Avraham Avinu and actively seek to make converts and bring all people closer to hashem. This ideology of putting gentiles down and cursing them out is a horrible chillul Hashem.