NYC Council Speaker Announces Five‑Point Plan to Combat Antisemitism and $1.25M for Holocaust Education

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menon announced a five‑point plan on Monday to address a reported rise in antisemitic incidents in the city and pledged $1,250,000 to expand Holocaust education at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

The plan, Menon said, pairs "education, prevention, enhanced public safety, data collection, and accountability measures," and includes a proposed Schools and Houses of Worship Access and Safety Act that would require the NYPD to "ensure clear and safe access to both schools and houses of worship" while preserving the right to peaceful protest. She also said the council will create a needs‑based reimbursement program for security cameras, fund community‑based security training for organizations that lack resources, and establish a hotline for reporting antisemitic incidents within the New York City Commission on Human Rights.

"Today, we are so thrilled to be announcing a 5 point plan to combat antisemitism," Menon said, framing the initiative as a mix of legislative action and funding. She cited what she described as city data showing that "over 60% of all reported hate crimes" targeted Jewish New Yorkers last year and said the council would pair that surveillance with education and prevention measures. Menon also noted an existing museum school program that brought "more than 30,000 students" to the Museum of Jewish Heritage last year and said the new investment would expand that work.

Council member Eric Dinowitz, who chairs the Jewish caucus and the council’s education committee, said that rhetoric was insufficient without policy: "Policy fights antisemitism," he said, describing students and families who have altered daily routines because of safety concerns. Deputy Speaker Dr. Natasha Williams said the plan "brings together legislation, funding, and accountability" and stressed protections for worshippers across faiths.

Yousef Salaam, who Menon named as chair of a new committee to combat hate, said the initiative must confront antisemitism alongside Islamophobia because the forms of hate are interconnected. "The Holocaust did not begin with camps," Salaam said, adding that early education helps prevent dehumanization and the spread of dangerous conspiracies.

Community leaders who addressed the gathering urged a mix of education and community building. Mark Traeger of the Jewish Community Relations Council argued that enforcement alone will not stop hatred: "You will not be able to arrest your way out of hatred," he said, calling for sustained education and outreach.

In a brief question‑and‑answer exchange with reporters, Menon said the council has been in "very productive, positive conversations with Governor Hochul's team" and that the city is not starting a wholly new bill but is advancing ideas members have been developing for months. She said the council will work with the NYPD to determine what kind of barriers or procedures ensure safe access to schools and houses of worship while protecting the First Amendment right to peacefully protest.

Menon listed specific components the council plans to pursue in the coming weeks: the Schools and Houses of Worship Access and Safety Act, a hotline housed at the New York City Commission on Human Rights to collect incident data and trends, a security camera reimbursement program for resource‑limited schools and institutions, and city‑supported community security training. The council also committed the $1.25 million allocation for Holocaust education at the Museum of Jewish Heritage to expand student visits and programming.

The announcement did not include a legislative calendar or final text for the proposed bill. Menon said the council will continue coordinating with law‑enforcement partners and state officials as it develops the measures and welcomes further public and community input.