In 2019 when Anti-Semitism was reaching record numbers in New York City and for that matter around the country and the world. As the CEO and the Executive Vice President of the Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island I called Mike McMahon, the Staten Island District Attorney, and ask what can we do? The great humanitarian that he is said “lets form a committee of leaders who can safe guard our borough.” With that the SIHTC was formed. Committed leaders joined with only one idea in mind “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men (PEOPLE) are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

All Americans (All Staten Islanders) should be proud of our nation’s diversity and we have to share a commitment to tolerance and respect for our fellow citizens, no matter their race, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation. It is our job to perpetuate the truth that a hate crime against one is a Hate crime against us all. As a community we must never allow hate or permit it to exist in our society!