Anti-Defamation League Responds After Bomb Threat

MURRAY HILL, NY — An official with the Anti-Defamation League joined Governor Andrew Cuomo on Thursday to announce new steps to combat the uptick in reports of anti-Semitic incidents, just one day after the Jewish nonprofit was itself targeted with an anonymous bomb threat. For more news from Murray Hill and New York City, subscribe to Patch's news alerts here.

Evan Bernstein, regional director of the ADL's New York office, joined Cuomo at a press conference in lower Manhattan on Thursday to announce the governor's latest initiatives to address the increase in reported hate crimes throughout the state. On Wednesday, an anonymous caller threatened the ADL's headquarters at 605 3rd Ave. at about 11 a.m. Both the NYPD and state police are investigating the incident. The NYPD had no updates on the investigation as of Thursday evening.

"Jewish institutions have historically been targeted by violence in the past," he said. "These threats have to be treated with seriousness every single time they happen."

Bernstein thanked local and state police for their work on the investigation, and Cuomo for the steps announced on Thursday, which include a proposed $25 million grant program for schools and day centers at risk of biased attacks.

"When these matters are addressed at the highest levels of government like this, it sends a powerful and a reassuring message to our community, which is understandably anxious," Bernstein said.

Bernstein noted that in recent months, the New York office of the ADL had seen an 100 percent increase in the "number of requests for assistance" from community members looking for help addressing bullying and harassment.

Lead image via the Anti-Defamation League.