Edited by: TJVNews.com

In her Christmas address on Monday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul addressed the alarming spike in antisemitic hate crimes that the state has witnessed following Hamas’ October 7 terror attack against Israel and the subsequent conflict in the Middle East, as was reported in the New York Post. In a  departure from the usual holiday messages of peace and goodwill, Governor Hochul called for tangible  actions to combat the rising tide of hatred and discrimination plaguing Jewish and Muslim communities in New York, the Post report added.

Governor Hochul acknowledged the severity of the situation, stating, “In an ordinary year, my holiday message would be a simple expression of peace and good will. But this year is different; this year we must transcend wishes and platitudes. Instead of yearning for peace, let’s actually live it.” Her address reflected a stark reality where festive sentiments are overshadowed by the urgency to address and rectify the disturbing escalation of visceral Jew hatred.

The governor highlighted specific incidents that have contributed to this climate of fear and hostility. The Post report indicated that one such incident involved a 28-year-old Iraq native who allegedly firing a shotgun outside an Albany synagogue, shouting “Free Palestine!” Such events underscore the inherent dangers associated with the rising tide of anti-Semitism.

According to NYPD statistics from November, reports of anti-Semitic hate crimes in the five boroughs more than tripled in comparison to the same period last year. As was noted in the Post report, the data revealed 69 anti-Semitic attacks, compared to 22 in the previous year, marking a frightening uptick inviolence against Jewish individuals and institutions.

Governor Hochul also drew attention to the broader impact of the recent conflicts, stating, “While this war rages on more than 5,000 miles away, the challenges we face have tested the very fabric of unity here at home,” the Post report said. Incidents of hatred and discrimination have extended beyond religious lines, affecting Muslim New Yorkers as well.

High-profile attacks agstaffer ainst Muslims, including verbal harassment by a former White House and a physical assault in Bay Ridge, have further heightened tensions.

“Some universities and college campuses around our state have been engulfed in a blizzard of hatred, antisemitism and Islamophobia; gun shots ring out in front of synagogues, street vendors are being harassed because of their religion,” Hochul said, as was reported by the Post. “Attacks on our friends, on our families, all creating real fear.”

Drawing on New York’s history as a melting pot of diverse immigrant communities, Governor Hochul emphasized that the state has overcome similar challenges in the past. The information provided in the Post report said that she recounted the discrimination faced by the first immigrants arriving at Ellis Island, highlighting that every wave of newcomers has encountered initial adversity. Yet, New York has
consistently navigated through periods of increased hatred and emerged as a beacon of unity and  acceptance, according to the report in the Post.

“Every time the rising tides of hate have threatened to divide us, we’ve charted a course towards unity,” stated Governor Hochul. “Acceptance has always been the heartbeat of our collective spirit.”