New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said at a Passover event that she knows there is “enormous pain and suffering out there.”
“Please know I’m the first mom governor. I feel pain deeply, because everyone in the state is one of my family and part of my family. They are my children, so I’m there to fight for you,” Hochul said at Congregation Gates of Heaven, a Reform congregation in Schenectady, N.Y. “I will stand up anytime, anywhere you need me to call out the antisemitism and all the other horrible instances of hatred espoused toward the people of the Jewish religion. I’m here for you.”
“I’m so cognizant of the pain that is being suffered by so many people in the Jewish faith and your beliefs are under attack, and the rise in antisemitism is something that hurts all of us,” the Democrat said. “But it pains me deeply, as the leader of a great state that is home to a larger Jewish community than anywhere in the world outside of Israel, and I’m very proud of that fact.”
She added that “when people are under attack, under siege, I feel I must speak up with my voice on behalf of all and condemn antisemitism in every form that it takes.”
Hochul told attendees that there is “serious opposition” that “I don’t understand” to the idea of a 25-foot buffer zone, that would be protest free, outside entrances to houses of worship, including Jewish ones.
“In my heart, I believe that you all have the right to go to a place of worship without fear of harassment. You don’t need people screaming horrible messages to you,” she said. “You’re trying to walk in with your family and live your God-given right and your constitutional right to practice your religion. So we’re proposing a 25-foot buffer.”
“Raise up your voices now as we continue to go back and negotiate the final days, hopefully with the legislature,” she said.
Zohran Mamdani, the mayor of New York City, is among those who have criticized such buffer zones. “I’ll say that when it comes to this legislation, I’m aware of the serious concerns that New Yorkers have raised regarding these bills limiting New Yorkers’ constitutional rights, and I will consider those concerns in my decision-making,” he told reporters.
Mamdani’s spokeswoman said that synagogues violate international law when they host pro-Israel events, and the mayor has said he would have the Israeli prime minister arrested in New York City.
Hochul told attendees at the Passover event that the holiday “is the story of the Jewish people enduring through some horrific times, but always coming out with your heads held high and proud of the traditions that have been bestowed to all of you, and passing them on to our beautiful children who are here this evening.”
