Sadiq Khan stressed the positive aspects of the Charedi community’s response to the pandemic after visiting a Hackney vaccine clinic involving emergency medical response organisation Hatzola on Sunday.

Although there have been instances of significant breaches of pandemic regulations among the strictly Orthodox population, London’s Mayor told the JC it was important for those outside the Charedi world to understand “all the good stuff” its members do out of altruism.

Around 300 people received Covid jabs at the John Scott centre where Hatzola, the NHS and local authority have been delivering vaccines this month.

Sunday’s session - the third targeted at the Charedi community - was a “really good example of the Orthodox Jewish community giving back”, Mr Khan said. 

He praised community leaders and Hatzola for doing “really important work in talking to the community and reassuring them” about the safety of vaccines.

Hatzola volunteers had told him they felt able to speak with authority having been vaccinated themselves. 

“It’s so uplifting to see for myself the brilliant work Hatzola are doing with the NHS and the council [in] encouraging more Orthodox Jewish Londoners to take their vaccine,” Mr Khan added. 

He highlighted the “disproportionate” number of infections within the Orthodox Jewish community during the first wave of the pandemic, a trend he linked to overcrowded housing and higher deprivation levels.

 “Unfortunately this virus isn’t a great leveller. Often it’s the most vulnerable that have suffered the worst consequences.”

He shared a “really lovely story” recounted by a Hatzola volunteer about the pride he felt when vaccinating a member of the Muslim community. “He’s inspiring,” Mr Khan said of the volunteer. “There are not many cities in the world where that will happen. We should not take that for granted.”

Mr Khan also related a conversation with attendees who described how “heart-breaking” it had been not to be able to celebrate Pesach with their loved ones last year - a situation they would face again in 2021.

“I think people get the sacrifice that needs to be made,” he observed, saying he was “hopeful” families would be able to celebrate the festival together next year.