In a significant move aimed at bolstering security for predominantly Jewish municipalities and communities across the state, Senator Bill Weber, alongside fellow members of the Senate Republican Conference Antisemitism Working Group, sent a joint letter to Governor Hochul on Thursday, December 7th.
The letter, which emphasized the urgent need for enhanced security funding, applauded Governor Hochul for her unwavering support of Israel and her resolute stance against antisemitism. Senator Weber, who has actively engaged with mayors and community leaders from predominantly Jewish areas, stressed the necessity of additional resources to bolster security budgets.
“Speaking with mayors and community leaders from our predominantly Jewish municipalities and communities has made it clear the state needs to provide additional resources to assist them with their security budgets,” Senator Bill Weber declared.
The joint letter from the Senate Republican Conference Antisemitism Working Group highlighted the Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes grants and the ongoing efforts to inform predominantly Jewish municipalities and communities about this program. However, it also underscored the pressing need for further support.
“While the current grants can be used to strengthen security at civic centers, cultural museums, day care centers, and other nonprofit organizations, we believe the grant program should be expanded, or a new grant program should be created, to include security funding for entire municipalities,” the letter stated.
Joining Senator Weber in signing the letter were Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Senator Joseph Griffo, Senator Jack Martins, and Senator Peter Oberacker. These five senators constitute the Senate Republican Conference Antisemitism Working Group, which has been actively involved in hosting Antisemitism round tables and discussions with prominent community members, law enforcement, and activists over the past several months.
“Our working group was formed long before the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel. It was, unfortunately, necessary then. Now that we have seen the explosion of antisemitism in broad daylight since the October 7th attack, our work is more important than ever,” Senator Bill Weber emphasized.
The call for increased security funding for predominantly Jewish municipalities and communities comes as a vital step in ensuring the safety and well-being of these areas in the face of rising concerns about antisemitism. The joint letter to Governor Hochul represents a united front from the Senate Republican Conference Antisemitism Working Group, demonstrating their commitment to combatting hatred and prejudice in all its forms.