New York City, NY – On Wednesday, June 22nd, 2022 New York City Council Speaker, Hon. Adrienne E. Adams gave the keynote address at the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York’s (JCRC-NY) Annual Meeting. The JCRC-NY Annual Meeting is a forum for the organization’s Board of Directors and the representatives of its 50+ member organizations to cast their votes for the new Board of Directors for the upcoming year. Over the past year, JCRC-NY has hosted addresses to the Jewish community by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams.

Speaker Adams’ first public address to the New York Jewish Community is a welcome opportunity to speak with our leadership on a wide array of issues and concerns, including the rise in antisemitic incidents and gun violence in our communities.

Speaker Adams declared that “Antisemitic violence is the most prevalent form of hate in our city.”

“It is reprehensible, vile, and must come to an end because an attack on our Jewish community is an attack on all of us.” the Speaker continued. “It is only with your partnership and support that we can build the city that we know is within our grasp, one that is equitable, strong, and free from violence.”

“We deeply appreciate Speaker Adams’ support for the Jewish community and pledge to work with her to improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers,” said Gideon Taylor, JCRC-NY Executive Vice President and CEO.

“We are honored that Speaker Adams chose JCRC-NY to make her first address to the Jewish community,” said Cheryl Fishbein, JCRC-NY President. “JCRC-NY will continue to partner with Speaker Adams to effectively convey the concerns of our diverse Jewish community to the government of New York City.”

Click the link below to view Speaker Adams’ address:

YouTube

 

January 31, 2022 – Dr. Bennett W. Golub and Dr. Cheryl Fishbein were elected as President and Chair, respectively, of the Jewish Community Relations Council of NY (JCRC-NY).

Dr. Bennett W. Golub will  assume the role of President of JCRC-NY on July 1st and will serve as President-elect until that date. Much like his predecessor, Ben has shown dedication to the Jewish community over the span of his career and has been involved with JCRC-NY for over a decade. His contributions to the organization have been vital to JCRC-NY’s success, leading him to become a recipient of the JCRC-NY Continuing Legacy Award in 2010. The following year, Ben was elected to the Board of Directors and currently serves as an Observer on our Executive Committee.

Professionally, Ben is the founder of BlackRock, Inc., a member of its Global Executive Committee and co-head of its Risk and Quantitative Analysis Group. He has served as BlackRock’s Chief Risk Officer since 2009.  Since the company’s inception in 1988, Ben has organized and led BlackRock’s UJA-Federation campaign. He also serves on the Investment Committee of the Claims Conference and co-authored “Kaddishel – A Life Reborn” with his father, Aharon, z’l, which details Aharon’s experiences during the Holocaust and his subsequent immigration to British Mandate Palestine in 1946.

In his personal life, Ben has been married to Cindy Golub for almost 35 years and is the proud father of Alexandra, Phillip and Jill Golub and grandfather of Tara Golub.

JCRC-NY is extremely confident in the election of Dr. Bennet Golub as President of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York.

Dr. Cheryl Fishbein is the current President of JCRC-NY and will assume the role of Chair on July 1st.  Cheryl has a history of exemplary leadership to the Jewish community including serving as the Past Chair of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, and has served on the Executive Council of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations. She is currently active in-UJA Federation New York, serves on its Presidents’ Advisory Board, and is past chair of the Caring Department, the Missions Committee and the Trauma Task Force.  Additional Jewish nonprofits that have benefited from Cheryl’s board service include: the Jewish Agency for Israel, the JCC Association, the American Jewish Committee, Jewish Funders Network, JCC of Krakow, the Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst in Brooklyn, and many more.

Outside of Jewish communal life, Cheryl is a clinical psychologist and attorney with her own private practice, as well as a dedicated wife, mother, and grandmother.

 

JCRC-NY builds relationships within the Jewish community and with New Yorkers of all backgrounds and faiths to advance the values, interests, and security of the Jewish community and to create a more interconnected New York for all.

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No one should ever be afraid to assemble in their place of worship.  We stand with our brothers and sisters in the Texas Jewish community as this frightening situation continues to unfold, and we pray for a swift and safe resolution.  We also thank NYPD, FBI, and law enforcement throughout the state for monitoring the situation and ensuring that our synagogues and communal institutions are protected. We are grateful to our many partners in the interfaith community and elected officials – including Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams – who have conveyed their thoughts and prayers.

The following are updates from our Community Security Initiative – a joint program of JCRC-NY and UJA-Federation of New York:  

1/15/22: 11:18 PM:  Texas Governor Abbott has announced all hostages are alive and safe!  CSI has been in direct contact with NYPD, FBI, and the Department of Justice, and there is no reason to believe that there is any local threat to synagogues here in New York.   Nevertheless, we expect a heavier NYPD presence at Jewish locations around the city overnight.

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1/15/22, 6:00 PM:  Colleyville Police have said that one of the hostages was released unharmed. He did not require medical attention and will be reunited with his family as soon as possible. FBI Crisis Negotiators continue contact with the subject and investigators believe three hostages are still being held inside the synagogue.

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1/15/22, 5:40 PM:  CSI was made aware early this afternoon of a dynamic hostage situation involving a synagogue in Colleyville, TX, that occurred during morning Shabbat services.
https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article257360862.html

It is our understanding that there are currently as many as four individuals being held by the hostage taker who is supposedly demanding the release of an al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist, Aafia Siddiqui, currently in prison in the U.S.
https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/24/nyregion/24siddiqui.html

CSI is closely monitoring the situation and is directly in contact with the NYPD and FBI.  There is a New York area link to the situation that is currently under investigation; however, we have no reason to believe that there is any clear and present danger to the greater New York area.  CSI will continue to update as the situation evolves.

January 9, 2022 – Our hearts are grieving for the 19 lives lost – including nine children – during today’s tragic fire in the Bronx, which also left over sixty people injured.  As noted by Mayor Eric Adams, we offer our hearts and help to the residents of the community affected, many of whom are African Muslims.  We are grateful to our longtime partner, Sheikh Musa Drammeh, for being on the scene to console the community at this devastating time, and we are in active discussion about how to best help the victims with this trauma.  We also thank the FDNY, many of whom risked their lives without oxygen tanks, for their bravery and heroism in rescuing the victims.

January 1, 2022 – JCRC-NY mourns the tragic and untimely passing of Yao Pan Ma, 61, a Chinese immigrant who was hospitalized after being the victim of a brutal, unprovoked, anti-Asian attack on April 23rd, 2021.  He succumbed to his injuries on December 31st.  Our hearts are with his widow, Baozhen Chen, and their family. As New Yorkers continue to witness a steady rise in hate crimes, JCRC-NY stands in solidarity with the Asian communities of New York in our resolve to eliminate hate and violence from our City.

In the coming weeks, JCRC-NY, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes, will launch its We Are all Brooklyn Fellowship Against Hate bringing together diverse community leaders and providing them with tools to work together to help rid New York of the hate and bigotry that plagues us.