As the war in Israel continues, police in Albany, New York City and around the state are stepping up patrols as Jewish communities prepare for an uneasy weekend of services.
Large-scale protests are expected as the war escalates on the heels of the surprise attack by Hamas. Officials in New York say resources are being deployed to protect sensitive Jewish sites. On a virtual press conference Thursday, Governor Kathy Hochul said the safety of New York's Jewish communities is not up for debate: "We will stand in solidarity with our Jewish friends and neighbors today, tomorrow and every day. There is no call to violence that will shake that conviction, and there's no evil we are unwilling to confront," Hochul said.
Greg Weitzman is Senior Rabbi at Congregation Beth Emeth in Albany, where services and activities are going ahead as normal.
“Certainly there is hate and fear mongering going on in the world," Weitzman said. "But we as a community congregation, you know, are going to come together and be together and stand side by side in spite of all of that, because we come together in solidarity and celebration. This is what Jews have done for millennia. Even during the Holocaust, they had celebrations. They had Bar Mitzvahs, they had Passover Seders. We don't stop celebrating, in spite of what is going on in the world. And certainly in standing up in the face of anti-semitism and terrorism, we continue and carry on.”
Arnold Rosenberg is the director of Congregational Jewish Living at Gates of Heaven in Schenectady. “I think everybody's concerned. And the result has been, we've enhanced our security for this evening. I think everyone is aware of what's happening. And so some feel nervous and some feel okay. Some of the threats are definitely overblown. I believe, here in upstate New York, we're fairly safe, but that's just my perception. But I think people will feel safe when they come in here because of the security enhancements that we have,” Rosenberg said.
Rabbi Ami Monson is affiliated with several local Jewish organizations including Congregation Beth Shalom in Clifton Park. He says the uncertainty is very frightening for the community.
“Everybody knows someone who is in Israel," said Monson. "Everybody has a cousin or a family member or someone they have met in their lifetime. That's an Israel that was special to them, or that is continuing to be special to them, and are affected by the situation and that is affecting them.”
Monson says he leads a "60-plus congregation," with many congregants fearing for the safety of their children and grandchildren who live in Israel. He adds they're also afraid for their relatives here in the U.S.
“A lot of my congregants have grandchildren who are on the college campus, and college campuses, around the country, most of these kids, but they're really afraid for the uprising in the argumentation and, and dislike between the Jewish student groups on campuses and the Palestinian groups on campus,” Monson said.
Monson says the news coverage can be overwhelming. “Clergy all over the country are serving a role of being someone to be a shoulder to lean on an ear, an empathic, listen, empathic ear to listen to what people have to say, because if you don't, that's where things boil up, and people will do things they, you know, they'll express themselves in the wrong way. I do think that one of the biggest, most impressive things is the outpouring of support or the United States for Israel, by the Jewish community and the non-Jewish community,” said Monson.
This weekend Congregation Beth Emeth is celebrating Weitzman's installation as its 14th Senior Rabbi.
“There is something deep within the Jewish psyche of what it is to stay strong and be resolute," Weitzman said. "And we're looking forward to having our synagogue be full. Certainly, we have security and we're working alongside with Albany Police Department and the county sheriffs to make sure that people feel safe when they come into this building, but we are not going to change anything that we are doing. We will not let terrorism to terrorists or we let nor will we be making decisions from a place of fear. We will stay strong and we will keep moving forward as we have done forever.”
Nearly 3,000 lives have been lost on both sides since the attacks began October 7th.
