fbpx

WATCH: AJC Video on Rising Anti-Semitism in NY

[additional-authors]
September 3, 2019

The American Jewish Committee (AJC) released a video on Sept. 3 highlighting the rising anti-Semitic violence in New York City.

The video begins with the question, “What would you say if you learned there were over 100 anti-Semitic assaults in a European city? If Jews were being ambushed, attacked, stabbed, kicked, choked, bludgeoned?”

The video then states that such things are occurring with rising frequency in New York City, pointing out that hate crimes have risen 81 percent in 2019 from the year prior in the city, but “few people are aware of this increasingly dangerous situation.”

The Americans Against Anti-Semitism coalition tweeted on Aug. 31 that over the past week there have been two instances of Jews being bludgeoned with stones in New York City and one instance of a Jewish man being hit with a belt buckle while the assailants shouted “F***ing Jew!”

The Anti-Defamation League highlighted the fact that a beach club in Queens was vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti, tweeting, “From vicious #antiSemitic attacks & harassment in Brooklyn, to now #antiSemitic graffiti in Queens, New York has a serious issue with #antiSemitism currently. More action needs to be taken from public leaders and authorities to curb this #hate.”

New York City Councilman Chaim Deutsch told Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) that the recent rise of anti-Semitism in the city is “very concerning and very disturbing to me. It’s irrelevant if it’s been happening in the past. The main impact of this is what’s happening in the present.” He also praised the fact that the city is opening a hate crimes prevention center and that he was able to obtain funding to put cameras throughout his district in Brooklyn.

However, one New York City resident, Alexander Rapaport, told JTA that he was unsure how the city could take proper action against anti-Semitism when “hate is something in your mind. How do you counter that?”

Did you enjoy this article?
You'll love our roundtable.

Editor's Picks

Latest Articles

Print Issue: Got College? | Mar 29, 2024

With the alarming rise in antisemitism across many college campuses, choosing where to apply has become more complicated for Jewish high school seniors. Some are even looking at Israel.

More news and opinions than at a
Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.

More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.

More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.