NYS polio truck is anti-Semitic

Metro

To Karl Campanile

March 28, 2023 | 8:02 PM

Jewish leaders say, “Polio is rampant in Israel. Polio is rampant. Get vaccinated now.”

State legislator Ari Brown (R-Cedarhurst) complained that public service advertisements relied on the anti-Semitic trope that “Jews are spreading disease.”

Many of the residents of the Lawrence, Cedarhurst, Woodmere, Hewlett, and Inwood five-town districts are Orthodox or observant Jews with ties to Israel.

“I was horrified to learn that the NYS Department of Health had sent a truck to the Orthodox Jewish community of Five Towns on Long Island to demonstrate a subtle anti-Semitic trope of the ‘Jewish plague. I was not surprised. The deputy mayor of Cedarhurst Village also said in a letter sent to the Department of Health on Monday.

He said Jews were often accused of spreading epidemics over the course of history.

“Although the Nazis justified the tearing down of ghetto walls as a preventive measure against the spread of typhus, about 300 Jewish communities were ravaged in plague-related mass hysteria,” Brown said. .

He also accused city and state leaders of displaying “disguised prejudice” when targeting Orthodox Jewish communities during the COVID-19 lockdown.

“Right now, New York State Department of Health trucks drive around Jewish neighborhoods, polio is rampant in Israel, get vaccinated now… with the rhetoric… it’s the same ‘Jews spread the disease.’ ‘” said Brown.

Nassau County Chief Executive Bruce Blakeman, who is also Jewish, said: [state] The Ministry of Health contained language that could be perceived as anti-Semitic rhetoric. “

Blakeman said he was informed that Hochul and the DOH had admitted an error of judgment and had removed the message that “Israel has a polio epidemic.”

“Congratulations to Rep. Brown and Governor Hochul for fixing this troubling message so quickly,” Nassau County leader said.

The Ministry of Health confirms it has withdrawn the polio advertisement.

“Following Israel’s recent announcement of four new polio cases, including a paralyzed child, the Ministry of Health has advised people traveling to Israel and other countries to be fully vaccinated against poliovirus. issued a press release urging them to prevent.” Sam Miller.

With Passover approaching and travel to Israel expected to increase, the department cautioned New Yorkers planning to travel to Israel this month to protect themselves and their families by getting immunized. started a campaign to

“After hearing feedback that mobile van ads intended to reach New Yorkers within the community could be interpreted as blaming the polio epidemic on the community itself, the department quickly decided to I have withdrawn the ad.

“The Department of Health remains committed to serving New York State’s diverse communities and strongly condemns anti-Semitism. We will continue to work with our partners to stop the spread of