Orthodox lawmakers escalate battle against COVID-19 closures

(JTA) — They protested the mayor’s decision to keep the parks closed on Sunday. By Monday, they vowed to cut the chains of the park gates themselves if Mayor Bill de Blasio didn’t accede to their requests.

In a tweet Monday evening, New York State Sen. Simcha Felder said he and two other Orthodox lawmakers, City Councilman Kalman Yeger and state Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein, would open the parks themselves if the mayor refused to do so.

“We’ve asked nicely and waited patiently. We’ve made every logical argument. The people have spoken and they’re running out of patience,” he wrote.

The state...