Speaker Madden unveils 5‑point plan on antisemitism, funds Holocaust education at Museum of Jewish Heritage

At the ABNY gathering, Council Speaker Julie Madden described a five‑point plan aimed at addressing antisemitism and other forms of hate and announced targeted funding for Holocaust education.

Madden said the plan includes buffer zones around houses of worship and schools, provision of security cameras for congregations that cannot afford them, assistance creating security plans for places of worship, and a hotline for reporting antisemitic incidents and other hate crimes so the city can better track and respond to data. "One of the common refrains I hear... oftentimes people aren't even sure how to report it," she said, arguing a dedicated hotline would improve reporting and policy responses.

She also announced additional funding to the Museum of Jewish Heritage. "We're giving the Museum of Jewish Heritage a $1,250,000 additional funding to expand upon this, eighth grade field trip program," Madden said, describing a program to bring every eighth grader to the museum’s permanent Holocaust exhibition in partnership with schools.

Madden framed education as an essential antidote to hate, citing research she said shows 34% of young people believe the Holocaust is a myth or exaggerated. She tied the program to broader efforts to address rising anti‑Asian, anti‑LGBTQ and Islamophobic incidents and said the council has formed a committee to comb through these issues and recommend policy steps.