Dear Mayor De Blasio,

I recently woke up to find a tweet from you admonishing the “Jewish community” for violating the social distancing laws in New York City. Shame on you, Mayor De Blasio, for accusing an entire religious community of breaking the law. Just as I don’t believe that the actions of any one group of African Americans, Latinos, Asians or Muslims represent those of their entire community, you cannot generalize “Jewish community” in that way. You called out an entire religion based on the actions of a small faction. The group of people to whom you were referring are just a small part of a much larger Jewish community here in the New York metropolitan area. I do not agree with what they did—gathering for a funeral—but I also do not believe they represent me or the wider Jewish community. The Jewish community I am a part of has done nothing but work hard to keep others safe during the coronavirus outbreak. Ours were among the first schools and houses of worship to close, well before the NYC public schools I might add. I have celebrated the bar mitzvahs of my son and some of his friends over Zoom or from my car. I have mourned remotely with friends for the loss of loved ones and celebrated Passover with just my immediate family for the first time in my life. The Jewish community I live in has been raising money to help the local hospitals buy PPE, donated snacks and meals to essential workers and has been trying on a daily basis to find ways to thank those who are working so hard on our behalf. The local Jewish high school has used its 3D printer to print face shields. The Jewish doctors, nurses and EMTs in our community, many of whom I call friends, have spent countless hours on the front lines saving lives, while those who have recovered from the disease are donating plasma in an attempt to help others who are suffering from COVID-19. These same acts of charity and unity have been going on in most, if not all, of the tri-state Jewish communities. Members of the chasidic community in Brooklyn that you called out so egregiously were among the first to come out in droves to donate plasma. I heard your apology this morning, but I will say to you what I say to my kids—it’s not an apology if you’re not sorry for what you said or did. When you say you apologize BUT… you invalidate the apology. Words matter! Anti-Semitism has been on the rise in our region, and by singling out the “Jewish community” you just poured fuel on the fire and indicted a whole religion for the sins of a few. If you would like to punish those who participated in the gathering or in future gatherings, be my guest… just don’t blame me and my community for the sins of others!

Tamar Lowe
Teaneck