Antisemitism Working Group Meets In Rockland As Issue Swirls

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Five state senators forming the Antisemitism Working Group convened its inaugural public roundtable Sept. 19 at Clarkstown Town Hall as controversy swirled about opposition to the sentence imposed on two rabbis who caused the fatal fire at the Evergreen Court Home for Adults in 2021.

The group is chaired by New York State Senator Jack Martins from the 7th Senate District. Other members include Sen. Bill Weber from Rockland, Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick (9th SD), Senator Joe Griffo (53rd SD), and Senator Peter Oberacker (51st SD).

Participants in the panel discussion included Mrs. Rivkie Feiner, CEO of Feiner Grant Strategies, Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum from Agudah of Rockland, Rabbi Avi Kahan, VP of the Derech Shalom Center/Pathway to Peace & Committee Member of Access for Justice, and Mrs. Andrea Winograd of the Holocaust Museum and Center for Tolerance and Education. The panel also included Clarkstown Police Chief Jeffrey Wanamaker and Ramapo Police Chief Martin Reilly.

During the roundtable, the panelists provided insights into antisemitism in New York State and how it manifests itself.

"Some people will say Antisemitism has always been here and will always be here but that doesn't mean we shouldn't keep talking about it, keep educating our youth, and talking about how we can eradicate it," Weber said in a statement after the meeting.

Key takeaways from the evening included the imperative need for bolstered social media monitoring, the enhancement of Jewish history curriculum, particularly the study of Antisemitism in public schools, and increased funding for education and security measures.

"The Anti-Defamation League tells us that antisemitic incidents reached an all-time high in the United States last year. What’s worse, the same holds true for New York. And yet it hardly raises an eyebrow with those who should be outraged," Martins said in a statement after the meeting. "There’s clearly a double standard as to how these hate crimes are being treated and that’s not acceptable. Alarm bells have been sounding on this for years. It stops now."

The panelists also said that antisemitism is ignorance and due to a lack of education about Jewish history, organizers said.

When Rockland County Court Judge Kevin Russo sentenced Nathaniel and Aaron Sommer to probation on Sept. 20, he said the courts don't respond to vengeance and intimidation, The Journal News reported.

Russo had received a letter from 27 elected officials and rabbis from the Orthodox Jewish community about an "antisemitic campaign" against the Sommers, who are father and son. In part, the letter, which was obtained by The Journal News, read:

We all grieve the tragic loss of firefighter Jared Lloyd and assisted living resident Oliver Hueston. Firefighters especially represent the heart and soul of our public service, a sentiment we universally share. Nevertheless, this tragedy should not become a vehicle for inciting antisemitic sentiment, nor should it compromise the principles of justice.

Our concerns are substantiated by research we have attached to this letter. It appears that the individuals spearheading the campaign to imprison the defendants—despite their guilty pleas under the understanding that they would receive no jail time—are motivated by anti-Semitism. Disturbingly, the leader of this group has previously expressed the desire to incarcerate the entirety of the Orthodox Jewish community simply for their religious beliefs, stating, "(expletive) hate this scam Jewish community. Boulder Stadium needs to be made into a prison for most Orthodox and Hasidic [Jews].

Rockland County Legislator Itamar Yeger issued his own statement Sept. 21.

"As we move forward as a community, it is crucial that we lean on informed perspectives, not those motivated by anger or hate," he said. "I also worked 12 years as a prosecutor participating in cases that included homicide and arson. Since the tragedy of March 23, 2021, I have devoted hours to reviewing the publicly available evidence in this case and more than 100 homicide cases from across New York State. Based on my experience and the research I conducted, it is clear that the court's decision to sentence the Sommers to the maximum periods of probation permissible under law was just and appropriate.

"While individuals without comparable legal or prosecutorial expertise are certainly entitled to their own viewpoints, it is irresponsible to mount unwarranted and inaccurate attacks on our County's judicial system."

Protests have mounted in the county since the plea deal was worked out. SEE: Rockland Rabbis Avoid Jail Time In Fatal Fire Plea Deal