Jewish leaders in a New York community where more than 150 measles cases have been identified are worried they will be vilified because some parents refuse to vaccinate their children, the New York Times reports. Earlier this week, authorities in Rockland County declared a state of emergency because of the outbreak and said all unvaccinated children will be banned from public places. Aron B. Wieder, a county legislator, told the newspaper that fellow Hasidic Jews have been calling him to express concern. “The conception that is out there is completely distorted, and that is, that the Orthodox community for the most part don’t vaccinate their children, and that is not true,” Wieder added. “When you have people who are true haters... They will take advantage of this type of situation and it just pours fuel on the fire.” Rabbis and other Jewish leaders have been urging families to get vaccinated but there is growing anti-vaxxer sentiment across the country.
