“New York is home to the largest Jewish community outside of Israel. It’s important to ensure their voice is represented in both state government and government as a whole,” Anil R. Beephan Jr., state assemblyman for New York’s 105th District, told JNS on Monday. “To gain a deeper understanding of their experiences and heritage, it was important for me to come here.”
Beephan emphasized the importance of solidarity in combating hate.
“It’s key for us to support each other, because if we don’t stand up for Jews, and vice versa, we never know who they might come for next,” he said.
The only U.S. state legislator to attend the JNS International Policy Summit, Beephan has been working with the Jewish Federation in his district, in Dutchess County north of New York City, for the past year and a half to support the Jewish community following Hamas’s Oct. 7 terrorist attack.
“It’s unfortunate that we’re seeing growing numbers of pro-Palestinian protesters throughout the state, and it’s leaking into the Hudson Valley, which I represent,” he said. “Even our congressman, a Democrat, has had about 100 protesters outside his office.”
Beephan, a Republican, expressed concern that many young people involved in these protests lack a full understanding of the conflict.
“I wish they could come here and see the reality for themselves. If they won’t, I’ll continue coming and sharing these stories,” he said.
Reflecting on the summit panels, particularly those focused on U.S.-Israel relations, Beephan said they shifted his thinking on how to better communicate key messages.
“It’s about being more direct and making people understand the end goal,” he said. “The main benefit of these panels is networking—meeting people from different groups, think tanks and local officials—which will help us tell the story back home.”
Beephan, who has a passion for protecting victims of domestic violence, said the fight against anti-Zionism and anti-Israel rhetoric in state politics is ongoing and challenging.
“We are constantly pushing back against these radical-left ideas,” he said. “Being in the minority, by votes alone, we would lose. But we have great resources—media on the ground, Jewish federations—helping us get the word out.”
He credited the strong Chassidic community and Jewish legislators in the New York State Assembly with helping to block harmful legislation.
“They’ve been able to negotiate with the assembly speaker to kill those bills. But if the political balance shifts in the next election, we could see dangerous legislation come to a floor vote,” he warned. “We must stay vigilant and keep our communities informed.”
Beephan noted this was his second visit to Israel.
“I first came 13 years ago on a college trip. I walked the Old City of Jerusalem in the morning and visited the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem,” he recalled. “I hope to visit Yad Vashem today or tomorrow.”
Though he is not Jewish, Beephan said that he feels a deep connection to Israel.
“I’m Christian, raised in a Christian household, and I see our cultures and religions as tied together from day one,” he said.