On this incredibly solemn day, I was proud to stand with elected officials and community members in Brooklyn to honor the victims of the horrific October 7th terrorist attacks and stand with all those whose lives were forever changed. Three years later, we must ensure their memories endure. That’s why we are calling for the creation of New York’s first permanent October 7th memorial to remember the lives lost, honor the survivors, and ensure we never forget.

Multiple synagogues and private homes in Queens were vandalized overnight with swastikas and other antisemitic graffiti. @Lynn4NYC, @PhilWongNYC and I are at one of the sites, Congregation Machane Chodosh, in Forest Hills now. When rabbis and congregants arrived to pray this morning, they expected to be met with their usual loving community. When a family woke up, they were prepared to begin an otherwise normal week. Instead, they were met with terrifying signals of hatred and threats of violence. We have visited some of these locations and are in contact with the NYPD, which is investigating and searching for at least four individuals responsible for the terrible incidents. The graffiti will be removed once the investigation is complete. With antisemitism on the rise here and across the globe, we will always stand up for our Jewish community and fight back against hate.