Blab Politics
NY Governor Pledges $70 Million for Jewish Community Security Ahead of High Holidays
When New York’s governor announced a record $70 million in state funds on Tuesday, the message was unmistakable: the state will not let hate crimes go unanswered.
The grant program will hand out money to 290 community‑based organizations—synagogues, yeshivas, and other groups—identified as vulnerable to bias‑based attacks. The funding is part of the state’s broader anti‑bias strategy and is intended to support security upgrades, staff training, and emergency response planning.
In the same press conference, Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the New York State Police to increase patrols and coordinate with local agencies around “sensitive sites” during the Jewish High Holidays. She said she is proud to be “not just a protector, but an ally and friend to the Jewish people of New York state, and proud that we have the largest Jewish population outside of Israel.”
The announcement comes as anti‑Semitic hate crimes have risen across the state. Hochul’s Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes (SCAHC) grant program, which she has expanded in previous years, is designed to help communities prepare for and respond to such threats.
In other news affecting the Jewish community, Mark Treyger, chief executive officer of the New York Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), published an op‑ed in the New York Daily News on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Treyger argued that Muslim, Arab, Sikh and South‑Asian New Yorkers were unfairly blamed for the attacks and called for the city to reject “collective blame.” The op‑ed was released as critics of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim, urged that he not attend the city’s anniversary event.
Meanwhile, two leaders of Queens’ Bukharian Jewish community announced they are leaving the Democratic Party. Rabbi Nahum Kaziev and Rafael Nektalov, editor of the Bukharian Times, said the party has adopted positions they view as hostile to Israel, the Jewish community and tolerant of anti‑Semitism. They warned that thousands of Bukharian community members across Queens might follow their lead.
In international news, Kamran Hekmati, a Jewish Iranian‑American from Long Island, was released from Tehran’s Evin Prison after spending roughly a year there. Hekmati was convicted last year during a brief trip to Iran that followed his son’s bar mitzvah in Israel 13 years earlier. He is reportedly unable to leave Iran because of a travel ban. Iranian officials have not confirmed the release or the conditions under which he was freed.
The Jewish community also celebrated a cultural moment during New York Fashion Week. At the “Style Across the Aisle” runway show held at the Metropolitan Opera House, two Jewish elected officials will wear garments designed by Jewish artists. City Council Speaker Julie Menin will be dressed by Israeli‑American designer Elie Tahari, while Comptroller Mark Levine will be styled by tailor and Chabad rabbi Yosel Tiefelbrun.
These events and announcements illustrate the breadth of issues facing New York’s Jewish community today—from security and anti‑bias measures to political realignment, international legal challenges and cultural expression.
The state’s $70 million grant program is scheduled to begin disbursement in the coming weeks, with the first round of applications due by the end of September. Hochul’s office has stated that the funds will be available to organizations that can demonstrate a need for enhanced security measures. The increased police presence during the High Holidays is expected to continue through the end of the Ten Days of Repentance.
The JCRC’s op‑ed and the Bukharian leaders’ party switch have sparked discussion among community leaders and city officials. Mayor Mamdani’s office has not yet responded to the call for him to skip the 9/11 commemoration.
Hekmati’s release remains unverified by Iranian authorities, and his legal status in the United States is pending. The fashion week event is scheduled for September 9, and the two elected officials have confirmed their participation.
These developments underscore the ongoing challenges and opportunities for the Jewish community in New York, as it navigates security concerns, political representation, international legal matters and cultural visibility.
The grant program will hand out money to 290 community‑based organizations—synagogues, yeshivas, and other groups—identified as vulnerable to bias‑based attacks. The funding is part of the state’s broader anti‑bias strategy and is intended to support security upgrades, staff training, and emergency response planning.
In the same press conference, Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the New York State Police to increase patrols and coordinate with local agencies around “sensitive sites” during the Jewish High Holidays. She said she is proud to be “not just a protector, but an ally and friend to the Jewish people of New York state, and proud that we have the largest Jewish population outside of Israel.”
The announcement comes as anti‑Semitic hate crimes have risen across the state. Hochul’s Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes (SCAHC) grant program, which she has expanded in previous years, is designed to help communities prepare for and respond to such threats.
In other news affecting the Jewish community, Mark Treyger, chief executive officer of the New York Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), published an op‑ed in the New York Daily News on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Treyger argued that Muslim, Arab, Sikh and South‑Asian New Yorkers were unfairly blamed for the attacks and called for the city to reject “collective blame.” The op‑ed was released as critics of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim, urged that he not attend the city’s anniversary event.
Meanwhile, two leaders of Queens’ Bukharian Jewish community announced they are leaving the Democratic Party. Rabbi Nahum Kaziev and Rafael Nektalov, editor of the Bukharian Times, said the party has adopted positions they view as hostile to Israel, the Jewish community and tolerant of anti‑Semitism. They warned that thousands of Bukharian community members across Queens might follow their lead.
In international news, Kamran Hekmati, a Jewish Iranian‑American from Long Island, was released from Tehran’s Evin Prison after spending roughly a year there. Hekmati was convicted last year during a brief trip to Iran that followed his son’s bar mitzvah in Israel 13 years earlier. He is reportedly unable to leave Iran because of a travel ban. Iranian officials have not confirmed the release or the conditions under which he was freed.
The Jewish community also celebrated a cultural moment during New York Fashion Week. At the “Style Across the Aisle” runway show held at the Metropolitan Opera House, two Jewish elected officials will wear garments designed by Jewish artists. City Council Speaker Julie Menin will be dressed by Israeli‑American designer Elie Tahari, while Comptroller Mark Levine will be styled by tailor and Chabad rabbi Yosel Tiefelbrun.
These events and announcements illustrate the breadth of issues facing New York’s Jewish community today—from security and anti‑bias measures to political realignment, international legal challenges and cultural expression.
The state’s $70 million grant program is scheduled to begin disbursement in the coming weeks, with the first round of applications due by the end of September. Hochul’s office has stated that the funds will be available to organizations that can demonstrate a need for enhanced security measures. The increased police presence during the High Holidays is expected to continue through the end of the Ten Days of Repentance.
The JCRC’s op‑ed and the Bukharian leaders’ party switch have sparked discussion among community leaders and city officials. Mayor Mamdani’s office has not yet responded to the call for him to skip the 9/11 commemoration.
Hekmati’s release remains unverified by Iranian authorities, and his legal status in the United States is pending. The fashion week event is scheduled for September 9, and the two elected officials have confirmed their participation.
These developments underscore the ongoing challenges and opportunities for the Jewish community in New York, as it navigates security concerns, political representation, international legal matters and cultural visibility.
