Dear Friends,
There was a buzz this week when New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio called out the Jewish community for an episode during a funeral in Williamsburg when social distancing was not followed; apparently hundreds of black-dressed Orthodox Jewish mourners gathered closely to grieve their rabbi who had succumbed to coronavirus. Sounding angered, the Mayor issued a warning to the Jewish community, and all communities, that he was directing the NYPD to issue citations in cases contravening the social distancing order.
But the buzz was not merely about the funeral, or even the Mayor’s strident response. It was spurred by reactions arguing that the Mayor had scapegoated the Jewish community. Why didn’t he bristle at New Yorkers who gathered too closely to watch the Blue Angels fly-over, they asked?
Apparently, Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League tweeted, “The few who don’t social-distance should be called out – but generalizing against the whole population is outrageous especially when so many are scapegoating Jews.”
I agree with Greenblatt – it is proper to call out those who flaunt the decree – but I find his use of the term “scapegoating” interesting, as it appears in this week’s Torah portion, and thus could be a “dog-whistle” to the Jewish religious right.
The Torah describes that at Yom Kippur, Aaron, the High Priest was to present two goats, one to be offered as a sin offering, and the other kept alive. Aaron was to place his hands on the head of the second goat, spiritually transferring all our sins to the animal, and then release it to the wild, to carry away our misdeeds to the wilderness. Thus, the term and the concept of the scapegoat were established.
A scapegoat is one whom people blame for their own misfortunes and even for their faults and sins, and thus avoid bearing their own responsibilities.
In today’s pitched climate, we see much scapegoating. Donald Trump is scapegoating the Chinese and the WHO for the failures of his own government in addressing the coronavirus. And, some may be blaming Orthodox Jews for failing to socially-distance, and thus trigger further incidents of illness.
But – yes – too much of New York’s Orthodox community HAS failed to follow social-distancing guidelines, and the illness has spread swiftly and widely in their enclaves. Thus, to my opinion, pointing a finger is not scapegoating – rather – it is about time!
It appears to me that de Blasio is being castigated for being the High Priest and laying his hands just where they belong.
But, sadly, blaming the priest also has been a long-standing Jewish practice.
Stay safe, and Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
There was a buzz this week when New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio called out the Jewish community for an episode during a funeral in Williamsburg when social distancing was not followed; apparently hundreds of black-dressed Orthodox Jewish mourners gathered closely to grieve their rabbi who had succumbed to coronavirus. Sounding angered, the Mayor issued a warning to the Jewish community, and all communities, that he was directing the NYPD to issue citations in cases contravening the social distancing order.
But the buzz was not merely about the funeral, or even the Mayor’s strident response. It was spurred by reactions arguing that the Mayor had scapegoated the Jewish community. Why didn’t he bristle at New Yorkers who gathered too closely to watch the Blue Angels fly-over, they asked?
Apparently, Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League tweeted, “The few who don’t social-distance should be called out – but generalizing against the whole population is outrageous especially when so many are scapegoating Jews.”
I agree with Greenblatt – it is proper to call out those who flaunt the decree – but I find his use of the term “scapegoating” interesting, as it appears in this week’s Torah portion, and thus could be a “dog-whistle” to the Jewish religious right.
The Torah describes that at Yom Kippur, Aaron, the High Priest was to present two goats, one to be offered as a sin offering, and the other kept alive. Aaron was to place his hands on the head of the second goat, spiritually transferring all our sins to the animal, and then release it to the wild, to carry away our misdeeds to the wilderness. Thus, the term and the concept of the scapegoat were established.
A scapegoat is one whom people blame for their own misfortunes and even for their faults and sins, and thus avoid bearing their own responsibilities.
In today’s pitched climate, we see much scapegoating. Donald Trump is scapegoating the Chinese and the WHO for the failures of his own government in addressing the coronavirus. And, some may be blaming Orthodox Jews for failing to socially-distance, and thus trigger further incidents of illness.
But – yes – too much of New York’s Orthodox community HAS failed to follow social-distancing guidelines, and the illness has spread swiftly and widely in their enclaves. Thus, to my opinion, pointing a finger is not scapegoating – rather – it is about time!
It appears to me that de Blasio is being castigated for being the High Priest and laying his hands just where they belong.
But, sadly, blaming the priest also has been a long-standing Jewish practice.
Stay safe, and Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Douglas Kohn