Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch promised that Jewish establishments throughout the Huge Apple will “not be left to guard themselves” in opposition to rising antisemitism as she delivered remarks at Central Synagogue Friday — one week after the violent, hate-filled assault on the place of worship.
Tisch, who grew up attending the synagogue on Lexington Avenue and East fifty fifth Road, vowed continued police help and motion for Jewish New Yorkers, a lot of whom witnessed Larry Montes, 46, unleash a horrific, antisemitic assault throughout Shabbat final week.
“What occurred right here is unacceptable anyplace on this metropolis. No New Yorker needs to be assaulted or threatened due to who they’re or how they worship,” Tisch informed the packed congregation.
“A hate crime comparable to this can be a message written in violence,” the commissioner slammed.
“The bodily wound is inflicted upon one particular person, however the worry is meant for a whole group,” she stated. “It’s meant to inform everybody who shares the sufferer’s identification that they don’t belong, that they’re susceptible, that they need to be afraid.”
Tisch confused “that message lands with explicit power within the Jewish group” as “for years now, Jewish New Yorkers have accounted for roughly half of the town’s confirmed hate-crime victims, regardless of making up roughly 10% of its inhabitants.”
As of August, hate crimes in opposition to Jewish New Yorkers up to now this 12 months elevated 8.5% — with a regarding 53.3% improve in antisemitic hate crimes in July 2026 in comparison with July 2025.
“We all know that violence can encourage extra violence. Each high-profile assault raises the chance of one other,” Tisch added.
“People already on the sting don’t at all times want directions,” she stated. “Typically, all they want is a spark.”
“That’s the reason we take threats significantly, and why we work aggressively to intervene earlier than hatred turns into violence.”
The police commissioner asserted that her job, and that of the NYPD, “is to behave” and that the division “stands behind this work” combatting antisemitic hate crimes throughout the town — with precinct commanders and group affairs officers working with synagogues and yeshivas, “doing all the things we will to make sure their security.”
The NYPD “Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau acts aggressively in opposition to potential threats and directs sources the place they’re wanted,” she asserted.
Tisch vowed that “Jewish establishments is not going to be left to guard themselves and not using a associate within the NYPD.”
“Jewish households is not going to be informed to simply accept worry as the worth of working towards their religion,” she added.
The commissioner promised as a “proud Jew” and “lifelong member” of the Central Synagogue congregation, “you might have my phrase that I stand with you in these unsure, precarious occasions.”
“And as Police Commissioner, you might have my phrase that behind that dedication stand 35,000 members of the NYPD keen to threat their very own lives for individuals they’ve by no means met, supported by essentially the most strong municipal counterterrorism capability on the planet and a Hate Crimes Process Pressure that’s second to none,” she promised.
“For me, that dedication is skilled,” Tisch added.
“Right here at Central, it is usually deeply private.”
