Leaderless': Jewish Baltimore residents bewail vaccine injuries as rabbis maintain silence

Prominent rabbis in Maryland who appeared in a video last year urging their congregations to get injected with the COVID-19 vaccine are now maintaining silence about recent studies confirming the vaccine’s dangerous adverse events. 

The rabbis, including Rabbi Jonathan A. Seidman, Rabbi Zvi Weiss, Rabbi Menachem Goldberger, Rabbi Dovid Heber, Rabbi Tzvi Teichman, Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan, Rabbi Ori Moshe Milrod and Rabbi Elchonon Lisbon appeared together in a video montage modeled after videos by Hollywood celebrities urging citizens to vote. 

Without providing supporting evidence, the rabbis in the video claim that 100% of COVID-19 deaths are unvaccinated, that the vaccine has no negative impact on fertility, that COVID-19 does not discriminate by age or health status, and that the vaccine is safe “across populations”. 

“The [Master of the World] has given us a gift: COVID-19 vaccines,” the rabbis begin in the video, building the case for the shot. “The vaccines are allowing us to reopen and to enjoy [celebrations] safely again. With all the data that has emerged, we clearly see just how safe and effective the vaccines are across populations, including the elderly, those with underlying health conditions, and pregnant and nursing women. Due to so many people being vaccinated, the number of hospitalizations and deaths decreased greatly since the vaccines were released.” 

Then, the rabbis moved on to warn their followers of the dangers of not getting vaccinated. 

“But the numbers of COVID-19 cases are spiking again! In June [2021], 100% of people who [Heaven have mercy] died in Maryland were unvaccinated,” they said, then echoing, “100%. Unvaccinated people died. Died.”  

“The Delta variant is 225% more transmissible than the original virus, now responsible for over 80% of current cases. [Thank G-d], vaccines are effective against the variants, keeping those people – vaccinated people – out of hospitals and from losing their life. Let’s all feel comfortable [praying in the synagogue]. Take [responsibility] for your neighbor’s health. Protect yourself – and them – by getting vaccinated.  

“There is unfortunately a lot of misinformation circulating. It’s important to know the truth: after a year of research, clinical trials and the actual vaccines in use, we see no evidence of any kind of negative outcome for fertility and no evidence of increased risk to women of childbearing years. COVID-19 does not discriminate by age or health status. There is no predicting how severe a case someone will experience. Unvaccinated people who were hospitalized or died didn’t think it would happen to them. We are a cohesive community. The best way to ensure our health and safety is with one voice."

The rabbis then take turns repeating the words, “one voice.” 

“Cases are spiking in every state, in our relatives’ cities. Let’s not add Baltimore, [G-d forbid], to that list. The best preparation to prepare ourselves for Rosh Hashanah is to look about our neighbors, our friends, our [congregants in synagogues]. Travel and celebrate the [High Holidays] responsibly - get vaccinated now! The [Master of the World] has given us a gift: safe and effective vaccines. It’s easy and quick.” 

The video concludes with each rabbi taking turns saying “get vaccinated” and “now”. 

“Be smart. Be responsible. Get vaccinated.” 

The video appears to be a joint effort by the City of Baltimore, the Baltimore City Health Department, the Associated Jewish Federation of Baltimore and Bikur Cholim. 

But now the spiritual leaders are silent about the vaccine’s adverse events, specifically regarding fertility and cardiac events. 

A peer-reviewed study from Tel Aviv University published this month found that the vaccine causes low sperm count in men for about five months following the shot. And as reported by America’s Frontline News, a study from MIT found a 25% uptick in cardiac events among people under 40, entirely correlated to the vaccine. 

America's Frontline News included these studies when we reached out to many of the rabbis in the video for comment:

As I'm sure you are aware, the science supporting these claims is dubious at best, with one recent study (here) showing that the vaccine negatively impacts male fertility. Another study (here) shows that the vaccine has a direct correlation to a 25% increase in cardiac events in young, healthy people.

Furthermore, the CDC has admitted to not monitoring the vaccine's safety as it said it would do.

We would be grateful for your response to the following questions, in addition to any other statement you would like to make:

1. What research was done by yourself and the other rabbis on the COVID-19 vaccine prior to promoting it? Were any medical professionals with dissenting opinions consulted?
2. On what basis was the claim made that 100% of COVID deaths were unvaccinated?
3. Will you be notifying your congregation of any scientific findings on the dangers of the vaccine such as those mentioned above, especially regarding fertility?
4. Did your congregation or anyone involved in its administration, including yourself, receive any financial benefit from a governmental body, including grants or any other form of benefit, directly or indirectly in connection with your promotion of the COVID-19 vaccine?
5. Have you consulted with the physicians and doctors who predicted the current wave of young healthy people dying inexplicably as a result of the vaccine, and those who are currently saying that it is a result of the vaccine? If not, will you consult with these physicians?

The rabbis did not respond to America’s Frontline News' request.

“We feel betrayed,” Chavah Sherman, a former member of Baltimore’s Jewish community, told America's Frontline News. “A rabbi’s words are like Torah law and we’re taught to listen to the rabbis unquestioningly. But they took advantage of that. They didn’t do real research, they just listened to the government and pushed a potentially lethal substance on their followers, endangering the community.” 

“Now young, healthy people are dropping dead,” Sherman added, referring to reports “stymieing” doctors. “Will they be doing another video addressing the dangerous effects of the shots?” 

It is unclear where the rabbis received the information they did and if they conducted any research of their own before urging their followers to get the shots. They also did not disclose if they consulted with any dissenting physicians prior to the video or if they received any compensation from authorities in exchange for the vaccine commercial. 

“I find it very sad that the Rabbis will not listen to the other side. They close their ears, they don't want to hear,” shared another Baltimore Jewish community member who chose to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal. “It's very tragic. I personally know somebody who they found dead in their house, in their basement. He had no specific health problems. They won't see any connection [to the vaccine], nobody wants to see any connection.”

She went on to say that she had revered one of the rabbis in the video.

“One of the rabbis in this video - I'm just shocked. I had always thought of him as a righteous man on two feet. And I just can't wrap my head around it that G-d is blinding his eyes.”

“This video is so disappointing,” said Devorah Barron, another member of the Jewish community in Baltimore. “Any rabbi I contacted to share other info was not really interested in the other side. They only follow doctors who believe this is the only route to take. I hope they are not judged too harshly for anyone who followed their advice and got injured or died from following their guidance. Being a rabbi is a huge responsibility. Putting your face on something like this should take a lot of forethought and own research.”

She then expressed how she and many other women feel in the Baltimore community.

“We really feel lost and leaderless,” she said. “We've been ostracized. People think we're crazy.”

“It's a sad moment when you realize your mentor made a huge mistake,” another former community member told America's Frontline News. “But it's even sadder when they won't admit that mistake. Now that the science is showing they were wrong, I hope they'll show respect for their congregations and come clean about the vaccine."

Another Jewish resident who says she is familiar with the rabbis wept when she saw the video.

"There is a feeling of being abandoned and alone, knowing that in this area I cannot follow and rely on the rabbis here in Baltimore and that saddens me very much. They're overall wonderful rabbis.

“But G-d wants us to turn only to Him." she added. “So at the same time that there's a feeling of abandonment, there's also a feeling of being strong and grateful. G-d gave me an ability to see more, to pray more, and to turn to Him more.”

America’s Frontline News will continue to report on community leaders who promoted the vaccine and remain silent about its risks.