New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo visited an Orthodox Jewish community on New Year’s Day to show solidarity in the wake of a horrifying series – at least 13 — of recent anti-Semitic attacks.
By: Lionel Schwamberg
The governor paid an unexpected visit to one mainly Orthodox community with Rabbi David Niederman, the executive director of the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and North Brooklyn.
“The pair huddled with a group of Jewish men, then took a walk to two local neighborhood shops, Cafe au lee and Sander’s Bakery. Cuomo also announced he will boost the number of state police in all Orthodox communities across New York,” the New York Post reported.
“The relationship with the Orthodox community goes back to my father, when I was a young, young man. So it’s gone on for many decades, our relationship, and it’s very important to me, it was important to my father, it’s important to my whole family and it’s important to the whole family of New York,” Cuomo said. “Everybody feels very upset and disturbed about what happened and everybody stands in solidarity with you.”
Indeed, Cuomo has also issued a joint statement with over 130 faith leaders from across the state condemning anti-Semitism in wake of attack that took place during a Hanukkah celebration in Monsey last night. “”Anti-Semitism, bigotry and hate of any kind are repugnant to our values and will not be tolerated in our state. We condemn this attack and all attacks against members of the Jewish community in New York — an attack against one of us is an attack against all of us. Together we will continue fighting hate and intolerance with love and inclusion,” the statement said.
The statement was accompanied by a long list of faith leaders and groups who are supporting the Governor’s statement includes – from Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York and Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese to
Rev. Dr. Calvin Butts, Abyssinian Baptist Church and Steve Gold, Co-President, Jewish Federation and Foundation of Rockland County.
In the most recent outrage, a pair of female attackers yelled “F— you Jew” and “I will kill you Jews” at a Brooklyn man before shoving him to the ground when he tried to film their anti-Semitic screed, according to law enforcement sources and witnesses.
“The two African American women approached the 22-year-old Hasidic victim in Broadway Triangle where they began taunting him with anti-Semitic slurs,” a law enforcement source told Fox News. “The first woman began yelling at the victim before the second woman grabbed his cell phone, broke it in half and threw it to the ground,” the source said.
