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In Wake of Uptick in anti-Semitic Crimes, NYC Offers ‘Understanding Jewish Experiences’ Training

In Wake of Uptick in anti-Semitic Crimes, NYC Offers ‘Understanding Jewish Experiences’ Training

By: Boropark24 Staff 

Confirming what residents in the Jewish community in New York City have known for a number of years now, a report from the mayor’s office acknowledges the dramatic uptick in anti-Semitic crimes around the city. 

To this end, the city’s Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) has launched an initiative called “understanding Jewish Experiences and Antisemitism." Its purpose is to educate New Yorkers about the experiences of their Jewish neighbors in the hopes of fostering more sensitivity and diminished incidents. 

The 500-page report issued by the mayor's office gave updates on a variety of issues related to city government. A key finding was that hate crimes were up a whopping 35%. It blamed the uptick on “ongoing racial tensions around the country.” 

The numbers from the NYPD tell a much more troubling story; documenting the sharp rise in anti-Semitic incidents. In August, the NYPD cataloged 24 hate incidents against Jews in the city, up 118% from last year, and the numbers have increased steadily month over month. 

This rise is one of the reasons the new antisemitism training was developed, Jonah Boyarin, a CCHR Jewish community liaison, told the New York Jewish Week.

“Our hope for this training is that everyday New Yorkers can become empowered to understand their Jewish neighbors better and to look out for them, to interrupt antisemitism when they see it in everyday life,” Boyarin said.

“It’s a new training, but we’re already seeing high demand for it,” Boyarin said. “We’re glad to see that. We’re here to meet that demand.”

He added that many Jewish organizations were included in the development of the training to make sure all Jewish viewpoints were represented.

The training, which was developed by the CCHR in conjunction with Staten Island’s Wagner College Holocaust Center, was quietly launched in April 2022, according to a city press release. Mayor Eric Adams said in the press release that the new training “will help us develop a stronger cultural competence and understanding of New York’s diverse Jewish communities.”

The training will be offered by the CCHR upon request.

If this city initiative brings any relief, it will certainly be welcome by members of our community


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