Message from R’ Schonfeld: R’ Yoel Schonfeld

This article is long overdue. The Orthodox community has been the focus of local and national news due to the high rate of measles unique to that community. See the front page of The Wall Street Journal (April 9 issue, this week) for a horrifying account of the extent of the disease and the deaths it can cause, G-d forbid. The reason for this elevation of the disease in Orthodox circles is simple. Many within the community refuse to vaccinate their kids against the disease, and some refuse to even vaccinate against dreaded diseases such as polio. Their stated reason is that it may cause autism or other life-altering illnesses. In addition, there are those who claim that our religion demands of us that we be extra cautious in preventing health-related calamities. Avoiding vaccines is one way of avoiding these calamities.