'No Hate, No Fear’: Thousands in NYC Rally Against Skyrocketing Anti-Semitism

JERUSALEM, Israel - Thousands of people rallied in New York on Sunday to raise a unified voice against the rising tide of anti-Semitism. 

An estimated 25,000 people gathered in Lower Manhattan side to say “No Hate, No Fear” to those perpetuating a recent wave of anti-Semitic attacks against New York Jews.

The “Solidarity March” began at 11 a.m. and included people from all backgrounds - Jew, and non-Jew.

Some light in this dark time.

Thousands of Jews and thousands of allies are marching across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Chanting: “NO HATE, NO FEAR, OUR JEWISH FAMILIES ARE WELCOME HERE!”#NoHateNoFear

pic.twitter.com/hqF6choD4H

— Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) January 5, 2020

Just days earlier, the country was shocked by one of the most gruesome anti-Semitic attacks in recent memory. A man broke into a Hasidic rabbi’s home in Monsey, New York and attacked at least five people with a machete as they celebrated Hanukkah. 

The machete rampage came after at least 13 reported anti-Semitic attacks in the New York and New Jersey area, including one involving two anti-Semites who targeted and killed Jews at a kosher grocery store in Jersey City.

Anti-Semitic hate crimes in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago are expected to hit an 18-year high, according to a report from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo seeks to combat that in his state and said New York will spend an additional $45 million to defend faith groups against hate crimes.

"I'm heartened to see this amazing show of support and solidarity. Literally, over 10,000 people have shown up to show support and love for the Jewish community, and that's New York at her best," Cuomo said told the demonstrators

No way to adequately capture how massive this crowd is, but it's huge.

A single march is not going to end anti-Semitism in NYC. But the size--and diversity--of this outpouring of support for the Jewish community is unprecedented. #NoHateNoFear #JewishandProud pic.twitter.com/cE33gSMP2G

— Mark D. Levine (@MarkLevineNYC) January 5, 2020

"The recent rash of anti-Semitic and other hate-fueled attacks in New York and across the nation are understandably causing anxiety, but we will not be intimidated," He added.

Many Christians joined the rally to stand in solidarity.

"An attack on any house of worship is an attack on all houses of worship," said Ismael Claudio, bishop of the Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ in Brooklyn. "I'm standing with my Jewish brothers and sisters. Today [it's] them: tomorrow, (it) might be us." 

 ABC News reports that Sunday's march was organized by several Jewish groups, including the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, the American Jewish Committee and the New York Board of Rabbis.

"We as a Jewish community are standing together with the top elected officials of this state and city of New York and thousands upon thousands of New Yorkers, Jews who have come from across this country and from around the world to say, 'No hate and no fear,'" said Michael Miller, executive vice president and chief executive officer of the Jewish Community Relations Council.