By COLlive reporter
Photos, Video: Mendy Krief/COLlive
Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), one of two Jewish Republicans in Congress who is running for Governor of New York, was joined by Jewish Community leaders and Crown Heights residents to speak out against recent violent antisemitic attacks and the spread of antisemitic hate throughout New York.
Speakers at the press conference held in front of the Jewish Children’s Museum included Congressman Zeldin, New York City Council Member Kalman Yeger, activists Dov Hikind, Geoffrey Davis and Max Coen, and a recent victim of a violent crime, Yosef Hershkop.
Speakers decried the serious rise in recent hate attacks in New York City and the lack of serious consequences and punishment for those who commit hate crimes against Jewish New Yorkers.
“We’ve reached a point where people that might be wearing a yarmulka, or maybe they are Asian or a Sikh cab driver…are being targeted with raw violent hate – innocent New Yorkers. we should be free to walk our streets and our subways without fear of being attacked by neighbors,” said Congressman Zeldin.
“For far too long, Jewish New Yorkers have lived in fear of violence and hate because of their religious beliefs. The data is alarming. New York State leads the nation in antisemitic incidents. Arrests for attacks on Jews in 2022 already far exceed last year’s total. Out of hundreds of hate crimes committed, only one offender has served even a single day in prison. The data is overwhelming,” Zeldin said. “Instead of violent antisemites declaring open season on Jewish New Yorkers, it’s long past time for the criminal justice system in this state to bring down the hammer big time on these criminals and make it crystal clear that there is a zero tolerance policy for violent attacks on innocent victims and religious freedom.”
A recent report from Americans Against Antisemitism details that of the hundreds of hate crimes committed against Jewish New Yorkers since 2018, only one of the offenders has served even a single day in prison. New York State led the entire nation in antisemitic incidents in 2021, and in the span of less than two weeks in May, there were three antisemitic assaults in Brooklyn alone.
The most gruesome incident came at the corner of Utica Avenue and President Street, where a young Rabbi was punched and kicked in the head, had antisemitic slurs shouted at him, and was forced to go to the hospital due to his injuries. Additionally, in July, a leader in the Jewish community was violently attacked in Crown Heights in front of his young son.
Following the press conference, Rep. Zeldin visited 770 Eastern Parkway, where he was helped to put on Tefillin.
VIDEO: Lee Zeldin speaks
VIDEO: Yosef Hershkop speaks
VIDEO: Max Coen speaks
Zeldin puts on Tefillin in 770
Vote Lee Zeldin for Govner of NY to bring back safety and security for our streets
Someone comes who’s actually able to help our community but no community reps there because they can’t be pictured with him in case their friends who do nothing to help us see them with him
…But this my friends, is how the game of politics is played…..
The good news is that God runs this show.
Shabbat Shalom.
We live in the ultimate & very most sheker of all times in history. We cannot place our trust in an ordinary human. He seems like a really great guy but who knows if he could withstand the political pressures. We’ve seen many good guys give in to it already. What we do have for sure is Hashem and turning to him through Torah and earnest tefillah!
I’m not making excuses for them but it looks like community council believes that we can’t get the votes for decent local reps who will support the safety and efficiency in our neighborhood so they feel they have to be on the good side of the local reps who will still be here doing their thing even if Zeldin wins. It’ll help if Zeldin wins but our community will be mostly affected by local level appointees.
When is the election? When can we vote?
November 8th.
You can vote for Lee Zeldin even if you’re a Democrat.
Spread the word!
I believe it’s Tuesday November 8. Please vote.
Why we don’t see our community activists ?
Who you see is the new activists. It’s time for a new group of people to be involved! Go Yossi Hershkop Ari Rimler Max Coen Yitzchok Rimler and others!
But it also takes a Mayor and police commissioner to make the real changes, hires, and firings, that are necessary to affect day to day life in the City. Governor can enact laws that local agencies can be ignoring or opposing them every day.
As long as there is irrational bias against our community as evidenced by: targeted ticketing, bias in favor of criminals, drug shelters being placed all around our community, crumbling infrastructure, and many more points of evidence.. nothing will change drastically even if we have a decent governor unless he can do a total overhaul in the city itself which will be a very difficult job. That’s why the city was best under Giuliani, because it’s the mayor who can affect most change here.
So why don’t we start with a change now what do we have to loose we know hochul is a disaster we see the democrats running the city who our great askonim backed what did it help the average person in our community more crime more of the same so let’s try something else let’s come together all vote for Lee zeldin and see if he can help one thing for sure it can’t get better under hochal
Very nice that he put on Tefillin. It looks like they put Tefillin on the wrong arm. In one picture he is writing with his right hand and he puts on Tefillin on his right hand.
Stam just pointing it out…
He is truly g-d send it would be terrible if we will no vote for anyone else …