Annual High Holy Days Meeting

For the past 6 years Police have met with Jewish community leaders from each of the five boroughs in order to discuss security detail for the High Holy Days. There was one presence that was missed and that was that of our own community, Va’ad Hakohol. It was disappointing but not surprising because we have not attended for the past two years.

A crowd of roughly 300 hundred influential people were present and our communities only presence was that of Rabbi Binyomin Klein. The mayor attended the meeting and gave a short speech detailing his plans for the Holidays. He began by greeting everyone present with a “Shana Tova” and went on to say that he will be attending Temple Services during the upcoming Holidays and will be keeping all the police officers in his prayers. He spoke about Anti-Semitic and hate crimes and how they are not only race specific. The Mayor maintains that when one commits such a crime it is a crime against every “race color and creed”.

Police commissioner Ray Kelly then spoke about some of the NYPD’s activity over the past few years. This included foiling attempted attacks on our city; specifically he mentioned that the police had uncovered a plot to bomb the Brooklyn Bridge. Then went into detail about how we as citizens can contribute to our own protection. The “NYPD Shield” is an outreach program from the NYPD to the citizens of New York, asking us to be the NYPD’s eyes and ears to better help them in their ability to “Serve and Protect”.

Other speakers included; NYPD Chaplin Dr. R. Alvin Kass, Michael Sheehan the Deputy Commissioner and Counter Terrorism unit and Joyce Stephen Deputy Commissioner and Community Affairs.