H EADLINES
Vaccine Continued from Page 1
however, it’s a diff erent story.

Since the sick and elderly
face greater risk of fatality from
COVID-19 than the young and
healthy, it is not ethical for
the latter to cut in front of the
former to obtain a vaccine.

“Essentially, it’s incorrect
and unethical because you’re
taking away from someone else
something that has a much
better chance of helping them
than helping you,” he said.

Line cutters are also holding
back society as a whole if they
get their shot too early, he said.

“Society did not shut down
because young, healthy people
were getting sick, getting a few
symptoms and getting better,”
Brennan said. “Society shut
down because of the people that
were getting it, getting hospital-
ized and so many didn’t make it.”
Rabbi Gregory Marx,
senior rabbi at Congregation
Beth Or in Maple Glen, said
Leviticus 19 makes it clear that
line-jumping before all seniors
are able to get vaccinated
contradicts the Jewish obliga-
tion to help the elderly.

‘Leviticus 19 says, ‘You shall
rise before the aged and honor
the old because I am the Lord
your God,’” Marx said. “In
other words, you show defer-
ence to those who need respect
who normally don’t get it.”
He added that Jewish texts
advocate to protect the vulner-
able, such as the widow, the
orphan and the stranger, which
emphasizes the importance of
ensuring marginalized groups
have access to the vaccine fi rst.

“All of Judaism I see as
trying to refi ne human nature,
so we don’t act like animals,
that it’s not the survival of the
fi ttest, it’s not the survival of
the strongest, it’s the emergence
of a sense of righteousness, a
sense of equity and fairness,
because we are all created in
the image of God,” he said.

A Moderna COVID-19 vaccine syringe
Photo by Anthony Quintano licensed under Creative Commons license CC-BY-2.0
Rabbi Mira Wasserman,
director of the Center for Jewish
Ethics at Reconstructing Judaism
and assistant professor of rabbinic
Jumping the line is a way of saying, ‘My life is worth more than the
literature at Reconstructionist
other person.’”
Rabbinical College,
said line-jumping contradicts the core RABBI MIRA WASSERMAN
Jewish value of the equality of all
human life.

“Jumping the line is a way
Rabbi Seth Haaz, senior Sanhedrin 4:5 and Berakhot
“We know that the pandemic
of saying, ‘My life is worth rabbi at Har Zion Temple in 17a, make it clear that getting has aff ected diff erent groups
more than the other person,’” Penn Valley, also said Talmudic a vaccine before someone who diff erently. Alongside the elderly,
she said.

texts about equality, like is more at-risk does not align other groups that have borne a
with Jewish ethics, particularly really heavy burden in terms of
in the face of limited supply.

the cost of the illness are of course
However, things get more people of color and working poor
complicated when vaccines are people. And so they’re another
set to expire and distributors group that the plan for vaccine
can’t fi nd eligible takers due to distribution is meant to protect,”
ELDER LAW
the time crunch.

Wasserman said.

AND “In those cases, when
Tornberg said the value
ESTATE PLANNING vaccines are going to be wasted, of tzedakah means Jews are
they shouldn’t be wasted. Th ey obligated to acknowledge that
Wills Trusts
should go to helping people,” not everyone has equal access
he said. In this specifi c situa- to health care and work to
Powers of Attorney
tion, it would be acceptable make it more accessible.

Living Wills
to get a vaccine before being
“It means righteousness,
Probate Estates
declared eligible.

and it’s about equity, not to
Protect assets from
Wasserman and Tornberg be nice, but because a society
nursing home
added that, in most cases, should be built around the idea
line-cutting contradicts the that everyone can get what
LARRY SCOTT AUERBACH, ESQ.

Jewish value of justice. When they need,” she said. “We’re not
CERTIFIED ELDER LAW ATTORNEY
CPA-PFS, J.D., LL.M.,MBA
people who are able to work living in that society, so as Jews
1000 Easton Road
from home get the vaccine our job is to try to push our
Abington, PA 19001
before essential workers who face societies further and further
exposure to the illness as part of towards that justice.” ●
For consultation call
215-517-5566 or
their jobs, they are obstructing
1-877-987-8788 Toll Free
the Torah’s commandment to spanzer@jewishexponent.com;
Website: www.Lsauerbach.com
love your fellow as yourself.

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16 MARCH 25, 2021
LEGAL DIRECTORY
JEWISH EXPONENT
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