Interfaith Letter to Governor Cuomo Calls for Vaccine Access in Jails and Prisons
The following letter was delivered to Governor Cuomo by the New York Jewish Agenda on behalf of an interfaith group of 120+ religious leaders, lead by Congregation Beit Simchat Torah and Mt. Zion Church of God 7th Day:
January 27, 2021
The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, New York 12224
Governor Cuomo:
We are an interfaith group of over 120 spiritual leaders from across the state of New York who have joined together to say in one voice that incarcerated people in jails and prisons must be given access to the COVID-19 vaccine in the current phase (Phase 1B) of the distribution program. We are compelled to speak publicly today because to deny access to the vaccine to this population would be a grave public health risk and a violation of the core value of human dignity that lies at the heart of all our faith traditions.
Public health officials have been clear. Prisons are one of the highest-risk environments for transmission of the COVID-19 virus, given the near impossibility of social distancing and other protective measures. Thousands of infections and dozens of deaths have already occurred within the DOCCS system, and they have sparked outbreaks that have spread out beyond the walls of DOCCS facilities, putting all of our lives at risk. In just ten days in early January, five incarcerated people died from COVID-19 while 750 tested positive.
The CDC has recommended that all residents and staff of “congregate living” settings be vaccinated as part of Phase 1B, a category which includes facilities such as rehabilitation centers and other group homes. Prisons are very clearly a “congregate living” environment, and therefore must be included in this phase. Incarcerated people must be offered the vaccine at the same time as DOCCS staff. To do otherwise would be a public health disaster and a cruel derogation of the principles of human dignity and equality.
The Bible describes the creation of humanity as coming from a single common ancestor. Jewish tradition teaches that this has twofold meaning: first, that the destruction of a life is seen as equivalent to the destruction of an entire universe, and conversely that sustaining a single life is equal to sustaining an entire universe. This same teaching goes on to say that as different as people can be, no one can claim greater or lesser lineage: we all share ancestry. In this moment, we must recognize the equal worth of incarcerated people and make a choice: will we stand by and allow the destruction of worlds, or will we seize the opportunity to sustain universes?
As reported in these articles, your office has not provided the clarity on this topic that is required at this pivotal moment in the fight against the COVID-19 vaccine. A list of eligible groups in Phase 1B released by your office on January 12 does not mention incarcerated people at all. Our communities of faith demand that you correct this immediately by issuing clear guidance that incarcerated people under the care of the State be provided access to the vaccine immediately.
Respectfully yours,
Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, Manhattan
Pastor Gil Monrose, Mt. Zion Church of God 7th Day, Brooklyn
List of signatories follow, all affiliations are for identification purposes only:
Dr. Mehnaz Afridi, Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith Education Center, New York
Imam Shamsi Ali, Jamaica Muslim Center, New York
Rev. Ian Alterman, Spirit Fellowship Ministries, Manhattan
Rabbi Renni Altman, Vassar Temple, Poughkeepsie
Minister Maria Antoine, El Bethel, Brooklyn
Rabbi Nicole Auerbach, Central Synagogue, New York
Rabbi Guy Austrian, Fort Tryon Jewish Center, New York
Rabbi Andy Bachman, JCP Downtown, New York
Reverend Donna Baptiste, Clarendon Road Church, Brooklyn
Cantor Melissa Berman, West End Synagogue, New York
Rabbi Sarah Berman, New York
Rabbi Rena Blumenthal, New Paltz
Rabbi Michael R. Boino, MSW, Conservative Synagogue of the Hamptons, Bridgehampton
Minister Beverly Brown, Freeport
Rev. Micah Bucey, Judson Memorial Church, New York
Rev. Fr. Michael Callaghan, Oratory Parish of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Brooklyn
The Rev. Spencer Cantrell, All Saints’ Park Slope, Brooklyn
Rabbi Emily Cohen, West End Synagogue, Brooklyn
Rabbi Ayelet S. Cohen, New Israel Fund, New York
The Reverend Peter Cook, New York State Council of Churches, Albany
Rabbi Lindsey Danziger, Zioness, New York
The Rev. Canon John Denaro, St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church, Brooklyn
Rabbi Brian Denker, International Federation of Rabbis, Brooklyn
Minister John Gerry Dickson, Zion House of Prayer, Brooklyn
Chairman Sheikh Musa Drammeh, Islamic Cultural Center of North America, New York
Rev. Elizabeth Edman, New York
Chaplain Kim Eliano, New York Faith Leaders for Criminal Justice Reform, Baldwin
Pastor Brian Ellis-Gibbs, Queens Baptist Church, Queens Village
Rabbi Barat Ellman, Ph.D., Brooklyn
Rabbi Steven Exler, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale – The Bayit, Bronx
Pastor Phillip Falayi, Hosanna City of Refuge Church, Queens
Rabbi Susan Falk, New York
Rabbi Michael Feinberg, Labor-Religion Coalition, New York
Rabbi Lori Feldstein-Gardner, Mishkan Ha’am, Bronx
Rabbi Michael Fessler, Reconstructing Judaism, Poughkeepsie
Rachel Figurasmith, Executive Director, Repair the World NYC, Brooklyn
Rabbi Brian Fink, Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, New York
Rabbi Jonathan Freirich, Open Door Judaism, Buffalo
Rabbi Ruth Gais, Chavurat Lamdeinu, Summit
Bishop Eric Garnes, Tabernacle of Praise, Brooklyn
Rabbi Jonah Geffen, Hunter Hillel, New York
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg, Malkhut, Queens
Rabbi Mel Gottlieb, Beth Jacob, Los Angeles
Rabbi Deena Gottlieb, The Jewish Community Project of Lower Manhattan, Manhattan
Rabbi Lauren Grabelle Herrmann, SAJ-Judaism that Stands for All, New York
Rabbi Rachel Grant Meyer, Brooklyn
Rabbi Matt Green, Congregation Beth Elohim, Brooklyn
Rabbi Irving Yitz Greenberg, Hadar Institute, Bronx
Marc Greenberg, Executive Director, Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing, New York
Rabbi Hilly Haber, Central Synagogue, New York
Pastor Denese Hall, Logos International Fellowship, Brooklyn
Reverend Amanda Hambrick Ashcraft, Middle Collegiate Church, New York City
Rabbi Yael Hammerman, Ansche Chesed, New York
Rabbi Jill Hausman, Congregation Ezrath Israel, New York
Pastor José Humphreys, Metro Hope Church, Manhattan
Reverend Donna Hylton, EMI, Brooklyn
Rabbi Miriam Hyman, Temple Beth-El, Poughkeepsie
Rev. Karen Jackson, Staten Island Inter-Religious Leadership, Staten Island
Rabbi Jill Jacobs, T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, New York
Rabbi Marisa James, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, New York
Rabbi Andy Kahn, Temple Emanu-El, Brooklyn
Rabbi David Kalb, Jewish Learning Center, New York
Rabbi Jeremy Kalmanofsky, Ansche Chesed, New York
Rabbi Leora Kaye, Brooklyn
Rev. Mark Lane, St Boniface, Brooklyn
Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, Middle Collegiate Church, New York City
Rabbi Serge Lippe, Brooklyn Heights Synagogue, Brooklyn, NY
Rabbi Emerita Ellen Lippmann, Kolot Chayeinu/Voices of Our Lives, Brooklyn
Cantor Abbe Lyons, Hillel at Ithaca College, Ithaca
Reverend Patricia Malcolm, Churches United To Save And Heal, New York
Clerk Joan Malin, Brooklyn Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, Brooklyn
Rabbi Marc Margolius, Institute for Jewish Spirituality, New York
Rabbi Jeffrey Marker, NY Board of Rabbis, Brooklyn
Rabbi José Rolando Matalon, B’nai Jeshurun, New York
Reverend John Merz, Church of the Ascension, Brooklyn
The Rev. Erika Meyer, Grace Church Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn
Rev. Dr. John Miller, Rye Presbyterian Church, Rye
Rabbi Avram Mlotek, Base, New York
Rabbi Dina Najman, The Kehilah of Riverdale, Bronx
Pastor Donald Odom, Glover Memorial Baptist Church, Brooklyn NY
The Rev. Fr. William Ogburn, Saint Paul’s Carroll Street, Brooklyn
Pastor James Osei-Kofi, Bethesda Healing Center/GodSquad, Brooklyn
The Rev. Steven Paulikas, All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Brooklyn
Rabbi William Plevan, none, New York
Minister Erica Poellot, Faith in Harm Reduction, Bronx
Rabbi Joshua Rabin, New York
Dawn Ravella, Executive Director, Emmaus House Harlem, Manhattan
Rabbi Sarah Reines, Temple Shaaray Tefila, New York
Rabbi Mackenzie Reynolds, Brooklyn
Rabbi Mira Rivera, Ammud, New York
Reverend Francisco Rodriguez, St Andrew Episcopal Church, Brooklyn
Rev. Annette Rodríguez, Woodycrest United Methodist Church, Bronx
Rabbi Daniel Ross, Central Synagogue, New York
The Reverend Katherine Salisbury, St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church and Pro-Cathedral, Brooklyn
Rabbi Alex Salzberg, Pelham Jewish Center, Pelham Manor
Pastor Nelvern R. Samuel, Love City Church, Inc., Brooklyn
Rabbi Jade Sank Ross, The Community Synagogue, Port Washington
Senior Minister Donna Schaper, Judson Memorial Church, New York
Rabbi Drorah Setel, Temple Emanu-El, Rochester
Rabbi Jodie Siff, The Reconstructionist Synagogue of the North Shore, Port Washington
Pastor Julie Sløk, The Danish Seamen’s Church, Brooklyn
Dr. Lloyd Slowe, Reshaping Lives Ministry, Brooklyn
Rabbi Joel Soffin, New York
Rabbi Felicia Sol, B’nai Jeshurun, New York
Rabbi Michael Stein, The Heschel School (Manhattan), New York
Rabbi Dr. Oren Steinitz, Congregation Kol Ami, Elmira
Pastor Louis Straker Jr., Reflections Church, Brooklyn
The Rev. Marie Tatro, Episcopal Diocese of Long Island, Brooklyn
Reverend Adriene Thorne, First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn, Brooklyn
Rabbi Rachel Timoner, Congregation Beth Elohim, Brooklyn
The Rev. Dr. Craig Townsend, St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Brooklyn
Rev. Dr. LaKeesha Walrond, New York Theological Seminary, New York
Crystal Walthall, Executive Director, Faith in New York, Bronx
Pastor Philip Wesley, Northeastern Seventh-day Adventist Conference, Jamaica
Rabbi Nancy H. Wiener, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institution of Religion, New York
Minister John Williams, New Creation Ministries Inc., Brooklyn
Rev. Franklin A. Wilson Jr., Bethel Tabernacle AME, Brooklyn
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, Uri L’Tzedek, New York
Rabbi Dr. Tzemah Yoreh, City Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, Manhattan
Rev. Dr. Brett Younger, Plymouth Church, Brooklyn
Rabbi Irwin Zeplowitz, The Community Synagogue, Port Washington
Rabbi Lina Zerbarini, Kehillath Shalom Synagogue, Huntington Station