With hate crimes on the rise across the five boroughs and facing criticism from some Jewish New Yorkers, Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday announced his plan to tackle antisemitism, including increasing funding for several key programs.
City Hall’s blueprint includes $6.4 million for community-based organizations such as the Jewish Community Relations Council that focus on hate crime prevention and survivor support. It also includes $1 million for increased security at synagogues and other houses of worship.
The plan also looks to increase education by expanding field trips to the Museum of Jewish Heritage and launching a campaign on LinkNYC kiosks highlighting the contributions of Jewish New Yorkers.
“Antisemitism has no place in New York City. Jewish New Yorkers have helped build this city, shaped its culture and strengthened our communities for generations, and they deserve to be safe, celebrated and protected by a city government that stands with them,” Mamdani said in a statement.
The Mamdani administration will also be investing in cultural institutions, including $2 million to help complete the Queens Holocaust Memorial and $2.5 million for The Center for New Jewish Culture in Central Brooklyn.
The 33-page report outlines additional strategies that would involve federal partners and other city agencies in efforts to combat antisemitism.
The plan comes as the mayor tries to repair a fraught relationship with some Jewish New Yorkers over his stance on the Israel-Hamas war and for his support of Palestinian rights.
Last week Mamdani was locked in a war of words with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who criticized the mayor while addressing the United Nations, alleging the mayor was “inciting riots against New York Jews.”