Gov. Hochul announces plans to address rising antisemitism in New York State

ALBANY, NY (WBNG) -- According to Governor Kathy Hochul’s Office, incidents of antisemitism are on the rise in New York State. On Tuesday, the governor announced new initiatives to combat the hate.

Governor Hocul said an antisemitic attack occurs every 33 hours with rates doubling in the last two years. To alleviate this, Hochul created the state’s first Anti-Hate & Education Center. The Division of Human Rights is also improving its hate and bias unit collection and the state will embark on a youth initiative with the intention of giving children the tools to speak up when they see an act of hatred.

“All of us are complicit if we are not standing up, especially those who have been entrusted with the power of government by the people of the state,” Hochul said. “I will stand here as your governor and tell you with every fiber of my body that we’ll never show indifference to the evil of anti-semitism. Not now, not ever, not here in the State of New York.”

Hochul also announced nearly $40 million in federal funding to support increased security efforts for non-profits facing the risks of terrorist or extremist attacks. The governor noted that New York State has the largest population of Jewish People in the country.

“No one should have to fear for their safety while going to their place of work, going to school, or just walking the streets,” said Hochul. “It has always been my top priority to keep the people of New York safe, and we will continue taking action to fight antisemitism and use every tool at our disposal to eliminate hate and bias from our communities.”

The New York State Office of Mental Health will also create a campaign that focuses on the mental health of Jewish Americans.

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