Mayor Adams Calls Together More than 300 Jewish Community Leaders to Update on NJ Security Threat and Reassure New Yorkers
By Yehudit Garmaise
Quickly responding to the recent credible threat of anti-Semitic terrorism that was aimed at New Jersey synagogues, Mayor Eric Adams invited Jewish leaders citywide to join him on a Zoom call to explain the latest precautions the NYPD is taking to protect Jewish New Yorkers.
The mayor said that he had no trouble gathering the more than 300 Jewish leaders who came together to participated in the Zoom call that was planned at the last-minute, “because we have had a long relationship in dealing with the fight to end anti-Semitism throughout our city."
Although yesterday’s threats to synagogues were directed towards shuls in New Jersey, the mayor said that NYC is taking the threats seriously as well because of the size of the Jewish population of the city.
“Whatever [anti-Semitism] takes place on the national or international level, it impacts NYC in some way,” said the mayor, who said that today that he wanted to “bring [Jewish leaders] together, give an overview of what we know, and how we are responding."
The boy whom police are investigating is autistic and reported having been bullied, NBC news reported.
Although a community security volunteer told BoroPark24 that the boy was found with weapons at his home, he is a minor, and therefore, district attorneys will have a hard time pressing charges.
Because the investigation is still ongoing, John Galati, the NYPD’s chief of intelligence, could not reveal much about the suspect who posted online such alarming threats to NJ shuls.
“What I can tell you is somewhere yesterday, early afternoon, we became aware of an individual who was already known to the FBI, who posted some alarming threats online to Jewish communities, and specifically to synagogues.”
After the NYPD was notified, the department continued to work closely with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in the NYC and in Newark.
“So we were fully plugged into the investigation,” said the police chief, who reported that police quickly identified and interview the suspect before seizing the electronics that he was using to post hateful and threatening messages.”
While a credible threat was not directed to New York City, the NYPD continues to stay in close contact with community leaders, and the NYPD’s counter-terrorism bureau deployed counter-terrorism resources to many shuls and Jewish locations citywide.
The NYPD also is sending out increased cars to patrol houses of worship, NYPD Richie Taylor told BoroPark24.
“We want to alleviate any concerns,” Chief Galati said. “The threat itself was not directed at NYC, but any time we hear a threat, we are going to act as if the threat were directed at New York.”
“We want everyone to feel safe,” said one top NYPD official who was sitting with NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell. “People should feel the most safe in their homes and in their houses of worship.
“We want to make sure that everyone sees the [increased patrols] and feels comfortable going to shul on Shabbos.”