Comments on: Do Orthodox Jews believe in vaccinating?

By: Dr. Ohana

Dr. Ohana — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 20:07:30 +0000

From your local pediatrician,

The New York Orthodox Jewish community was vaccinated well above the national level. (Greater than 90 percent to nationally 75%) Vaccinations are not a 100 percent guarantee from getting that illness – just around a 95%. So in 100 kids, 5 of them are still vulnerable if they get exposed to something like mumps. New York is lucky Orthodox Jews are so provaccine or they would be struggling with wildfire spread – like pertussis in California.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 04:31:13 +0000

I don’t understand- if this person and their child is vaccinated (which it would seem) why should they worry?

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 01:49:25 +0000

did the person ever respond?

By: Jaime

Jaime — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 07:11:10 +0000

I know it exists, but still can’t believe such hate speech is still so fervent. Might I point out that the irony of the person saying “Go to someplace where ignorance and stupidity are bliss America is NOT such a place.”, when it is they who are actually the ignorant one! I hope they read your response.

By: Lily

Lily — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:49:15 +0000

We were blamed for the Black Death,too…This is about anti-semitism,not this specific mumps outbreak…You were sooooo nice, I don’t know that I could have been…

By: Kathy

Kathy — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:13:13 +0000

There are many angry people in this world who are misinformed. No big deal. We just have to educate them and when they eventually learn, they too will have the privileged of turning another angry person around.

I think it comes with age, which in turn brings wisdom, which in turn brings patience. Having a good teacher doesn’t hurt, either.

By: Akiva

Akiva — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 04:46:48 +0000

Ilana, I wanted to respond to your comment on pikuach nefesh (saving a life). You are right that the concept of pikuach nefesh is generally used in the sense of permitting (rather than requiring) the breaking of a commandment to save a life. However, pikuach nefesh is related to the Biblical commandment of v’chai bahem (“you should live by them”) – which the Talmud understands to mean “you should live by the commandments, and you should not die by them.” Through this positive commandment, the Torah does in fact require one to break almost any commandment to save a life. I imagine that JITC was using pikuach nefesh loosely to encompass v’chai bahem, since pikuach nefesh is a more widely recognized term.

By: Melanie

Melanie — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:34:43 +0000

I wonder if the person even feels ashamed now that they know the truth? Probably not since they felt this way in the first place. You handled it very well. B”H that you could be so level headed.

By: Ilana

Ilana — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:04:55 +0000

I’m impressed that you managed such a rational and kind tone, replying to such vitriol. I hope they read your excellent response!

One nitpicky thing: about pikuach nefesh I would have said, “We are instructed that it is acceptable to break nearly any commandment in order to save a life”. The way you wrote it, it could be misconstrued as you saying that breaking commandments is the rule, not the exception in order to save a life. Anyway, this is a very small phrasing thing.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:20:02 +0000

Kol HaKavod for not blowing up at this-individual. Thank you for your polite and thorough response.