State to combat Antisemitism with this Anti-Hate center

Believing she has a responsibility to the Jewish people in New York state — which has the largest Jewish population in the country — Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled plans on Sept. 19 for a State Anti Hate in Education Center & Annual Convening next summer. She made the announcement at the Center for Jewish History in downtown Manhattan.

“As Governor of the State with the largest Jewish population outside the State of Israel, I feel a solemn responsibility to protect and uplift New York’s vibrant, diverse Jewish communities,” Hochul said in a news release. “No one should have to fear for their safety while going to their place of work, going to school, or just walking the streets.”

The education center will serve as an intellectual hub, and with the involvement of institutions and organizations such as the City University of New York, the State University of New York, the State Education Department and the Commission of Independent Colleges and Universities, will create what is hoped to be a safer, more inclusive climate for New Yorkers.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, between 2021 and 2022, the state saw a 39 percent increase in antisemitic incidents, the highest in the nation.

“It has always been my top priority to keep the people of New York safe, and we will continue taking action to fight anti-Semitism and use every tool at our disposal to eliminate hate and bias from our communities,” Hochul stated.

New York is the first to act on President Biden’s national strategy to counter antisemitism and root out hate.

As the Five Towns and other Jewish communities entered the High Holy Days, safety precautions were in place during Rosh Hashana and continued with Yom Kippur.

Danny Gluck, commanding officer of the Nassau County Auxiliary Police 4th Precinct Unit, said that his men and women were on patrol at synagogues in the Five Towns during the holidays.

“All the local synagogues have really stepped up their security,” Gluck said. “We, as an auxiliary unit, have our cars out at most of the synagogues throughout the holidays.”

“There were no reported threats, as far as I know, in the Five Towns,” Gluck added.

However, at least three synagogues in Nassau County, and two in Suffolk County received bomb threats during Rosh Hashana.

“It is essential to remember that an attack on any religious or ethnic group is an attack on our shared humanity,” Assemblyman Ari Brown said in a news release in response to the bomb threats. “If you don’t speak out and stand up for others, they will eventually come for you, and there will be no one left to speak up for you.”

Brown, who also serves as Cedarhurst’s deputy mayor, was one of the first on the scene when swastikas were found at the village’s Andrew J. Parise Park in July.

Judith Gutman, a North Woodmere resident, said that for the most part, her community is safe and family-friendly, but she can’t say the same for other Jewish communities around the High Holy Days.

“While the threat is very real, a key principle of our Jewish faith is Emunah, which roughly translates as faith or trust in God,” Gutman said. “We trust that God will protect us even though, rationally, we should probably be scared of very real threats. We’re still vigilant about increasing security in our synagogues and neighborhoods. But we aren’t scared.”

At Young Israel of North Woodmere, discussions of antisemitism and safety measures take place during the holidays and all year long. “We have our own security to see who comes in and out,” Zvi Gutman, the synagogue’s president and Judith Gutman’s husband, said. “We take shifts during the holidays, and take it very seriously.”

Gutman also serves as a shul security force member. He and Judith have four children. They are not all teenagers yet, but they have discussed the hate that exists.

“It’s very important to let them know that there’s antisemitism,” Zvi Gutman said. “We let them know that we are a vibrant community, but there are people that just have hatred for who we are. We still want to live life and not shelter — we have to be proactive.”

State Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, who represents the Five Towns, was scheduled to take part in a County Anti-Semitism Roundtable hosted by State Sen. Jack Martins on Sept. 26, after the Herald went to press. Martins chairs the State Republican Anti-Semitism Working Group, which includes Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick and other senators.

The roundtable was set to bring Jewish leaders and security experts together to discuss how best to address antisemitic incidents.

“We must promote real solutions, not just talk and signal support,” Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick wrote in a text to the Herald in response to Hochul’s announcement. “If we are to make real changes in our communities, the governor must take action against incidences of antisemitism, such as CUNY hiring a known antisemite to teach and mold the minds of the next generation. Advocacy begins with action.”

A 12-page report compiled by Students and Faculty for Equality at CUNY, an alliance of CUNY students and scholars, claims that the school system has been the most systemically antisemitic school in the United States for the past two years