|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Edited by: Fern Sidman
In a disturbing revelation, a recent poll conducted by the pro-Israel New York Solidarity Network has shed light on the growing sense of insecurity among Jewish voters in New York State. According to the information provided in a New York Post report that appeared on Wednesday, the survey, which included 1,200 Jewish voters from New York City and other counties, revealed that nearly half of the respondents have felt at risk due to their religious identity. This sentiment is particularly pronounced among Orthodox Jews, with 67% expressing feelings of unsafety.
In the wake of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the ensuing conflict in Gaza, New York has experienced a disturbing surge in anti-Semitic hate crimes. The Post report indicated that this wave of hatred has not only permeated public spaces but has also spilled onto college campuses, leaving Jewish students in fear and raising urgent concerns about their safety.
The poll results indicate that 44% of Jewish voters in New York have experienced a sense of insecurity. Furthermore, more than a third of respondents, 35%, agreed with the statement, “New York is no longer a safe haven for Jewish life and the Jewish people,” as was reported by The Post. This perception extends beyond state borders, as nearly 40% of the surveyed voters believe that the United States as a whole is no longer a safe haven for Jews.
Given that New York is home to 1.5 million Jews, the largest Jewish population outside of Israel these findings are particularly alarming, the Post report indicated. The sense of insecurity among such a significant portion of the community calls attention to the urgent need for action from state and local officials.
Sara Forman, the executive director of the New York Solidarity Network and Treasurer of Solidarity PAC, emphasized the gravity of the situation. In a statement to The Post, Forman described the findings as a “five-alarm fire” for elected officials. She highlighted the critical need for measures to address the concerns and ensure the safety and well-being of the Jewish community in New York.
“Jews have been warning leadership for months,” Forman told The Post, highlighting the numerous incidents where masked mobs crowded outside hospitals and synagogues, defaced the homes of Jewish museum board members, intimidated Jews in public spaces, and vandalized Jewish-owned businesses. These actions, often celebrated by far-left politicians as “peaceful” protests, have contributed to a growing sense of vulnerability.
The poll’s findings come at a time of heightened tension and increased reports of anti-Semitic incidents across the United States. The sense of vulnerability among Jewish voters in New York mirrors broader national concerns about rising anti-Semitism, as was observed in The Post report. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has reported a significant increase in anti-Semitic incidents in recent years, including harassment, vandalism, and assaults.
The feelings of unsafety are even more pronounced within the Orthodox Jewish community. With 67% of identifiable Orthodox Jews expressing concerns about their safety, this group faces unique challenges. Noted in The Post report was that the visibility of Orthodox Jews, due to their distinct attire and religious practices, often makes them more vulnerable to targeted hate crimes and discrimination.
The situation on college campuses has been particularly alarming. Jewish students at institutions such as Cooper Union and Columbia University have faced intimidation and harassment during anti-Israel protests. The Post report explained that these protests have sometimes escalated into anti-Semitic incidents, including vandalism and occupation of academic buildings by masked individuals. The anonymity provided by masks has allowed many perpetrators to evade prosecution, exacerbating the sense of vulnerability among Jewish students.
In response to these incidents, there is a growing campaign urging Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York state legislature to restore a mask ban at public protests. As per the information provided in The Post report, proponents argue that such a ban would prevent harassers and bigots from concealing their identities and escaping accountability for their crimes. The goal is to create a safer environment for all participants in public demonstrations, ensuring that those who commit hate crimes can be identified and prosecuted.
According to The Post report, a recent survey by the New York Solidarity Network highlights the extent of the fear and insecurity felt by Jewish voters in New York. According to the survey:
50% of respondents do not believe that New York’s college campuses will take adequate measures to ensure the safety of Jewish students in the upcoming fall semester, while 42% believe that they will.
86% of respondents consider anti-Semitism to be a serious problem.
56% have witnessed anti-Jewish hatred on social media and online forums, with this number rising to
72% among those under the age of 30.
The survey covered voters from high-density Jewish zip codes across New York City and several key counties, including Nassau, Suffolk, Albany, Broome, Erie, Monroe, Oneida, Onondaga, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Tompkins, Ulster, and Westchester. This comprehensive geographic distribution ensures that the survey results reflect the experiences and concerns of Jewish individuals across the state.
These figures reflect a deeply rooted concern within the Jewish community about their safety and the adequacy of current measures to protect them from anti-Semitic threats.
The increase in anti-Semitic hate crimes in New York is backed by alarming statistics. According to NYPD data obtained by The Post in April 2024, such crimes have risen by 45%. Many of these attacks have been brazenly carried out in public, often captured on video, further heightening the community’s sense of insecurity.
One notable incident involved the Brooklyn Museum’s director, Anne Pasternak, and several Jewish board members who were targeted by anti-Semitic vandals. The Post report detailed that these vandals defaced their homes with red paint and scrawled “blood on your hands,” a menacing message that shines a spotlight on the severity of the threat. Additionally, an inverted red triangle, a symbol historically used by Hamas to identify Israeli military targets and more recently seen at anti-Israel protests, was sprayed on Pasternak’s co-op apartment building.
Other recent incidents highlight the gravity of the situation. An anti-Jewish harasser from Staten Island was arrested for allegedly storming a New York City subway car, demanding that “Zionists” raise their hands. This brazen act of intimidation is just one of many, as per the information contained in The Post report. In Brooklyn, a Jewish father of five was viciously beaten in front of his home during the first night of Hanukkah. The Post reported that the attacker spewed anti-Semitic vitriol during the assault. Just two days later, another Jewish man in the same borough was robbed of his $2,500 traditional Jewish headpiece.
These incidents are part of a larger pattern of virulent anti-Semitism that has exploded amid the ongoing Hamas-Israel conflict. The recent war, initiated by Hamas’s sneak attack on Israel, has exacerbated tensions and emboldened individuals and groups to express their hatred through acts of violence and intimidation.
Forman’s call to action is clear: “If we do not feel safe here, with the largest Jewish community outside of Israel, how can we feel safe anywhere?” She emphasized to The Post the need for community leaders, non-Jewish allies, and elected officials to send a decisive message that anti-Semitism has no place in New York. This stance must be taken without exception or apology to ensure the safety and security of Jewish residents.
