Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky

By Forverts Staff March 18, 2020

Read this article in Yiddish

Hatzolah of Kiryas Joel, the upstate New York Hasidic town of Palm Tree’s volunteer ambulance corps, released a poster in Yiddish Tuesday warning residents to close all communal institutions including synagogues.

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The announcement reads in part:

“Upon the legal request of the President of the USA made directly to our Haredi community in New York during a conference call with all leading Rabbis and Rebbes, long may they live, regarding the spread of the coronavirus, may Hashem protect us, all study houses, yeshivas, cheders, girls schools, kollels and mivkahs must be closed at once for at least the next fifteen days.”

“It is critically important that everyone, with no exceptions, follow the law and understand the seriousness and gravity of the situation.”

The announcement continues: “The virus is a great threat to older people or people with health problems and the hospitals do not have enough beds and are already rationing them in preparation for, God forbid, a massive outbreak. It is therefore the responsibility of every individual to help curb the virus’s spread.

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