Saratoga Standard

Senator Jim Tedisco (R,C-Ballston Lake) and Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein (D-Brooklyn) announced today that they are sponsoring new bipartisan legislation to combat the increasing wave of antisemitism in New York State. The proposed law seeks to add the antisemitic desecration of a Jewish cemetery or any religious cemetery to the state hate crimes law.

This legislative move is a response to escalating incidents of antisemitism in New York State and across the nation, following the October 7th Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. This attack resulted in the deaths of 1,139 people and took hostage 252 Israelis, Americans, and others.

Last week, approximately 100 headstones were damaged or overturned at the Jewish Memorial Park Cemeteries in Rotterdam. The police are currently investigating this incident. The cemetery serves as a burial ground for several synagogues located in Senator Tedisco’s district.

In October, following the Hamas attack on Israel, a Jewish cemetery in Watertown, NY was vandalized. Antisemitic desecrations have also occurred over the past few months in Jewish cemeteries in Waterbury, CT; Cleveland; Baltimore; and Los Angeles.

According to data from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), antisemitic incidents across the United States increased by 337 percent post-October 7th, 2023 compared to those recorded in 2022.

Senator Jim Tedisco said: “Antisemitism, racism, intolerance, and hatred are at the center of evil and must be opposed whenever they rear their ugly head. The antisemitic desecration of a Jewish cemetery or any religious burial site is truly a hate crime that’s so repugnant and hurtful to families and loved ones of those who have passed that it demands a heightened criminal penalty."

Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein added: “Desecrating targeted graves in a cemetery due to bias is an especially sinister and cowardly form of hate. Committing hate crimes in these sacred places is disrespectful to the deceased and hurtful to their loved ones. It’s our responsibility to speak out on their behalf and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice."

Currently, hate crimes laws in New York State do not specifically address targeted cemetery desecration motivated by bias against race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, etc.

The proposed bill (S.9297) by Senator Tedisco and Assemblyman Eichenstein would include aggravated cemetery desecration in the second degree and first degree as specified offenses under New York’s hate crimes law. This measure would add these offenses to Section 485.05 and elevate aggravated cemetery desecration in the 2nd degree (currently a class E felony) to a class D felony, punishable by up to seven years in prison, and aggravated cemetery desecration in the 1st degree (currently a class D felony) to a class C felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Senator Jim Tedisco concluded: “Silence is not an option in the face of this surging antisemitism. The last time the world was silent, over 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust. We can never let that happen again.”