New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced $70 million in security funding for synagogues, yeshivas, and other organizations facing hate crime threats as the Jewish High Holidays approach. This funding doubles the $35 million initially proposed in the state's FY2027 budget for the Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes grant program.
Hochul stated that the coming High Holidays, a sacred period in the Hebrew calendar, are accompanied by heightened anxiety regarding safety, particularly given the rise in antisemitic incidents. "Hate has no place in our great state," Hochul said. "We must condemn it in every single form that it takes. But the reality is, the sad reality, is that hate crimes are on the rise, and more than half of those crimes are targeted against Jewish New Yorkers."
Data from the New York City Police Department indicates that through August of the current year, 425 hate crimes were reported, an increase from 367 in the same period last year. Of these incidents, 217 specifically targeted Jewish New Yorkers.
The $70 million in grants will be distributed to approximately 300 non-profit organizations statewide that apply for the program. The funds can be utilized for installing security cameras and alarm systems, training security personnel, and enhancing cybersecurity measures at religious sites, schools, and other locations identified as vulnerable to hate crimes.
This announcement marks a significant increase in state investment, bringing the total allocated by Hochul's administration to the security program to over $200 million since she took office. The state police and the state's Hate Crimes Task Force will also increase patrols at religious sites throughout the High Holidays, from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur. State Police Superintendent Steven James confirmed that troopers will conduct regular checks at synagogues, houses of worship, and other gathering places. Governor Hochul mentioned coordinating these state efforts with the New York City Police Department for synagogues and yeshivas.