In recent weeks, Jewish communities across the United States experienced antisemitism during and after the conflict in Gaza and Israel. In New York City, amid dueling pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian rallies last Thursday, multiple Jews were assaulted in the street.
Pro-Palestinian protesters face off with a group of Israel supporters and police in a violent clash in Times Square on May 20, 2021 in New York City. (SPENCER PLATT / Getty Images via AFP)
In the days following, Jews across New York posted on social media about being threatened, harassed or otherwise attacked for being Jewish. The reports were reminiscent of a string of antisemitic incidents in New York in the months before the pandemic shut down street life globally. Nationwide, the Anti-Defamation League recorded an increase in antisemitic incidents in the first week of the Israel-Hamas fighting.
Some NJ religious leaders urge faithful to take the COVID vaccine, despite some moral qualms
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As Pfizer and Moderna begin to roll out their much anticipated COVID-19 vaccines at hospitals across the country, many religious leaders are urging their followers to receive it with open arms despite moral qualms by some faithful.
Distribution of the vaccine began Tuesday in New Jersey among front-line health care workers, and it is expected to become available to the general public in the coming months.
The pandemic that has taken the lives of more than 300,000 Americans spared no religious, ethnic or racial group. But a considerable portion of the population remains wary of the vaccines because of potential side effects. Others have raised moral issues related to a vaccine composed of fetal tissue.