FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BRONX, NY – The New York City Council Jewish Caucus has a new leader in Eric Dinowitz, who has recently been named Chair of the group. The Caucus has actively worked to bring Jewish issues to the forefront of New York City legislative matters, and serve as a voice for Jewish elected officials in the Council. 

“May was Jewish American Heritage Month and as we celebrate Jewish American contributions to our City we have seen a remarkable rise in Anti-Semitism. My home district in the North Bronx recently experienced attacks on several Synagogues as other neighborhoods across our great City have also seen attacks on Jewish people and institutions.

“In addition, we have seen anti-semitic rhetoric continue to rise, including explicit praise for Hitler on social media as well as the perpetuation of negative tropes about Jewish people. We have also seen this type of hate speech infiltrate our schools, our Universities, and even our political discourse. While some claim that their anti-Israel remarks are based in condemnation of the Israeli government, the reality is that many are disguising their hatred for Jews in these comments, with the results being violence against Jewish people and institutions.

“The Anti-Defamation League has reported that 17% of all anti semitic incidents in the United States last year happened here in New York. This data reflects the experiences I had as a public school teacher and the dangerous realities that too many Jewish people face in our city.

“As Chair of the Caucus, I will continue to fight to bring attention to Jewish causes like social justice, compassion, peace, and dignity, and for the need for anti-hate education in our schools, including Holocaust education. I will continue to call out hate of all forms. Hatred of one is hatred of all,” said Chairman Dinowitz.

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