As the Jewish community grows more tormented by the day with the rise of anti-Semitic attacks across the metropolitan area, Queens borough president candidate Elizabeth Crowley announced that she would create the Queens Anti-Semitism task force if elected. The task force would be made up of key religious and civic leaders, law enforcement and public officials.
It would work to plan and implement a proactive action agenda to teach tolerance, educate constituents, and promote the values that makes Queens so strong, the former Councilwoman said. As anti-Semitic crimes increase across the country, New York City has seen the largest increase in reported hate crimes for anti-Semitic incidents with 152 reports this year, up 63 percent from 93 reports last year. Half of the reports of hate crimes this year are anti-Semitic.
“The numbers don’t lie and they are staggering,” Crowley said. “The fear and concern I see in the faces of people I speak with is terrifying. Conversation after conversation I am told of deep worries about not knowing whether faith can be displayed in public.”
It is not just the attack on the Hasidic community in upstate Monsey on Sunday in which Grafton Thomas allegedly slashed and stabbed five, or the Dec. 10 attack on the kosher store in Jersey City, but it is also the random street attacks that have brought trepidation to the Jewish community.
“The Jewish community deserves to live in peace and raise their families without fearing if they will be attacked for who they are. Elected officials have a great responsibility not just to react when an incident occurs, but to act in stemming the tide against hate and intolerance. It is unacceptable to me that the Jewish community is faced with these fears. I will make this a top priority as borough president.”
In 2008, Crowley became the first woman and the first Democrat to be elected to represent District 30, which includes Middle Village, Glendale, Ridgewood and parts of Richmond Hill, Woodhaven and Forest Hills. She lost her seat to Councilman Robert Holden in 2017 and is now running in a field of five for Queens borough president special election.
Crowley will face Councilmen Donovan Richards, Costa Constantinides, Jimmy Van Bramer and police reform advocate Anthony Miranda in a contest expected to take place on Tuesday, March 24.
