Thread by @JonahNYC

Followup thread: I’ve been talking to epidemiologists & health justice activists. Here are some tips to destigmatize Orthodox Jews, particularly Haredi (traditionalist Orthodox) Jews, & to address the greater COVID surge in NY, which includes some Haredi neighborhoods: [1/8]

1) Pay attention to unsexy risk factors like dense housing--Haredi Jews have similar lower-income & family size profiles to many COVID-vulnerable PoC NYC immigrant families & so need similar whole-family, community-partnered rapid testing like was piloted in Sunset Park. [2/8]

2) Religious extremism might not be the lede. Political context: Half the country is dangerously not masking. Only *some* of the BK clusters are heavily Orthodox--but *all* are heavily pro-Trump. As explained in this editorial by @LienaZagare. [3/8] bklyner.com/editorial-stop…

3) People have gotten complacent & confused. Many in NY, Haredi and otherwise, faltered in mask & distancing this summer, & yet cases stayed flat or went down, & reopening continued. Educate the public on why cases are now rapidly going up, & why masking & distancing help. [4/8]

4) Educate yourselves. NYC’s “Orthodox Jews” are very diverse. Some are Hasidic, some not. Some use the internet, some don’t. Some speak Yiddish at home, some, Arabic, Russian, Hebrew, etc. Some complied w/ guidelines only early on, others until recently, others still are. [5/8]

5) Enforcement is a last resort--it stigmatizes & discourages testing & reporting. Haredim very reasonably fear backlash vigilante antisemitism. Test and tracing needs to work closely with community partners, have bilingual competence, and offer strong privacy protections. [6/8]

6) Build long term relationships with Haredi community leaders, activists, & health providers. Cultivate your solidarity against antisemitism. Invite solidarity back. Listen. Find the values you can live with, the ones you can’t, and the points of shared values and interests.7/8

Haredim have been branded/scapegoated as the face of the virus surge in NY. But cases are going up again across the world, & we need to learn why. Yes, Haredim are responsible for reducing their risky behaviors, w/ public help. And--this thing is way bigger than them. [8/8]