Suffolk County will launch a subcommittee to combat antisemitism.
It will consist of members of the county’s Jewish-American Advisory Board, as well as other Suffolk officials, and partner with the police department’s specialized unit responsible for investigating hate crimes.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone made the announcement Thursday. He said the goal is to create a safer community for the county’s Jewish residents, amid a rise in antisemitic hate crimes.
“It is critical that we talk about a focus on antisemitism wherever it is, wherever it rises up," Bellone said. "And the overwhelming majority of our fellow citizens who share that faith with us, we stand together to push back and fight against it.”
A report from the Anti-Defamation League shows antisemetic hate crimes increased by 39% in New York last year.
