LAKEWOOD - Four rabbis connected with the influential Beth Medrash Govoha yeshiva are instructing members of the Orthodox Jewish community to cease visits to family and friends, and suspend all religious gatherings "until such time that we are sure it is totally safe."

Coming in the midst of the observances of Passover, the bans issued by the rabbis — Shmuel Felder, Yaakov Forchheimer, Shmuel M. Katz and Osher C. Lieberman — underscore the seriousness of the coronavirus crisis in the township, which has at least 1,117 confirmed cases, the most in Ocean County, according to the latest official count. Some within the Orthodox Jewish community say they believe the measures go too far.

"In the coming weeks, it is necessary for us to double down on precautions in order to see continued improvement in public health," the rabbis say in a letter mailed to township residents. "We cannot afford any relaxation in precautions in any way until such time that we are sure it is totally safe."

The rabbis instructed people not to "visit family or friends, even within Lakewood, unless under the direct and specific advice of a qualified medical professional."

The rabbis add: "This applies to old and young, to those who are healthy, ill or recovered."

In addition to the danger posed by the virus, the rabbis cite aiva, a Hebrew word that refers to enmity or hatred directed against Jews, as a reason for taking these steps.

"While originally some porch minyanim (worshiping) may have been approved by some Rabbanim (rabbis) under very specific criteria from health experts, experience has shown that they lead to serious Aiva (enmity), and other major problems and therefore those approvals are no longer valid," the rabbis wrote. Read the full letter below.

"We want to make sure that the perception of us, to the broader public who don't know who we are, is an appropriate one and that means we have to lead, and if we fail to lead, people are going to misunderstand us," Rabbi Aaron Kotler, CEO of Beth Medrash Govoha, told the Asbury Park Press.

Lakewood Mayor Raymond Coles called the rabbis' action "encouraging" and said it would help local efforts to fight both the pandemic and the vitriol unleashed against the township's residents, especially after a series of large gatherings had to be broken up by police.

"Because (of) those few people who acted out early on, it gave people the impression that the entire township was like that," Coles said. "They're not getting the message outside of Lakewood, but most everybody inside of Lakewood has gotten that message and is doing the right thing."

Late last month, Gov. Phil Murphy condemned people who have used the coronavirus pandemic to heap scorn on the township's Orthodox Jewish community.

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However, some in the Orthodox Jewish community believe the new measures go too far because religious freedom,already has been greatly impacted by social distancing regulations currently in place.

"We must do everything possible to save lives, that takes precedence for sure," said township resident Eli Cohen, 21, a political science student.

"At the same time, I don't feel that people who are both following medical experts advice, and the law, and are praying together but separated on their own porches, on their own properties, shouldn't be able to do so now because of anti-Semitism," he said.

"Further restriction on those abiding by the law isn't needed," said Toms River resident Ben Kopciel, 35. "Harsher penalties for the few willful violators would be far more effective."

Gustavo Martínez Contreras covers Lakewood. Contact him at gmartinez@gannettnj.com or at 732-643-4061.