New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht have both condemned the extreme anti-Semitic rhetoric spewed by Haverstraw resident Nick Collela and others at a hearing regarding a variance request for the purpose of building a shul.

Hochul tweeted:

“I have heard reports of violent rhetoric towards our Jewish community at a town meeting in Rockland County. Antisemitism, like all forms of hate, is horrifying and unacceptable.

Everyone has the right to walk down the street without fear. New York, we are better than this.”

I have heard reports of violent rhetoric towards our Jewish community at a town meeting in Rockland County. Antisemitism, like all forms of hate, is horrifying and unacceptable. 

Everyone has the right to walk down the street without fear. New York, we are better than this.

— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) November 11, 2021

Statement from Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht:

Town of Ramapo Supervisor Michael B. Specht today strongly condemned antisemitic comments that were made at a public meeting of the Town of Haverstraw Planning Board on Wednesday night, November 11.

While addressing the board, a local resident made several derogatory remarks and insinuations about the Jewish community. The individual spoke about Jews walking in the streets and said, “A certain sect of people tends to walk in the street, and nobody is wearing any reflective gear. So, if I run one of them over and of course I’m going to back over them again.”

“Hearing a member of the public speak at a meeting hosted a local governmental body and describe how he would ‘back over them again’ if he ran over Jews walking in the street, is a dangerous and despicable manifestation of antisemitism that must be condemned in the strongest terms possible,” said Supervisor Specht. “These abhorrent comments are a heinous and hateful attack on the Jewish community and a painful reminder that antisemitism is regrettably alive and well.”

“As an elected official and as a Jew, I took umbrage at the antisemitic remarks that were made, and I will not remain silent while bigotry rears its ugly head,” added Supervisor Specht. “We must push back against the hate by denouncing it and by promoting greater tolerance of one another.”

“I commend the members of the Haverstraw Planning Board for doing the right thing and refusing to remain silent while this individual engaged in hatemongering,” said Supervisor Specht. “Antisemitism is not just a Jewish issue – it is an American issue and a global issue – and it is up to all of us to send a clear message that antisemitism and bigotry of any kind have no place whatsoever in our town, our county, our state, our country, or our world.”

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