Israel’s Chief Rabbis on Thursday issued an urgent call to the public to vaccinate their children against measles virus, following the spread of the disease and the recent deaths that it has caused.
In their official letter, the Chief Rabbis emphasized that “Torah commands us to do everything possible to protect ourselves and our health,” citing the verse, “You shall greatly safeguard your lives,” as a halakhic (pertaining to Jewish law) obligation to vaccinate.
“The responsibility for caring for our body and soul rests upon the individual,” the rabbis wrote. “This applies both to treatment when necessary and during illness, and to preventive care.”
The appeal comes amid the spread of measles cases in haredi communities in and around Jerusalem. Since last weekend, four children, all aged between one and two years of age, have died of measles. Only one of those children, a little girl, was vaccinated at all; she had been too young for the measles vaccine when she was infected with the virus. The other three infants were completely unvaccinated.
The rabbis’ letter represents a clear halakhic statement from the Chief Rabbinate, emphasizing that vaccination is not only a right but a religious duty. The message is particularly aimed at communities where there is resistance to vaccines for religious or other reasons.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has warned that measles continues to spread, encouraging the public to vaccinate, especially children and communities with low vaccination rates.