Jewish leaders call COVID rules ‘blatantly anti-Semitic’

By LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Three Rockland County Jewish congregations have filed a lawsuit accusing Governor Andrew Cuomo of engaging in a streak of anti-Semitic discrimination with a crackdown on religious gatherings. The Manhattan federal court lawsuit filed Wednesday says Cuomo has made numerous discriminatory statements about the Jewish Orthodox community. Cuomo, a Democrat, has blamed the state’s growing infection rate on so-called “red zone” areas that are home to 2.8% of the state population. The state said six coronavirus clusters have appeared in Brooklyn and Queens, and Broome, Orange and Rockland counties. In those COVID-19 hot spots, the state says houses of worship can have 25% capacity, or a maximum of 10 people. Cuomo told reporters Thursday he was not targeting Orthodox Jewish communities.