Westchester District Attorney Addresses Anti-Semitism and Bias Crime at Breakfast

Following a rise in national and local anti-Semitism and hate crimes, Westchester’s new District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. addressed issues of concern to the county’s Jewish community at the Annual Westchester Government Relations Legislative Breakfast. The event took place on Friday, March 31, 2017, at the Jewish Community Center of Harrison in Harrison, New York.

U.S. Congressman Eliot Engel, U.S. Congresswoman Nita Lowey, and Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino also shared remarks at the breakfast, which is sponsored by UJA-Federation of New York and the Westchester Jewish Council.

Since January 2017, Jewish institutions across the country have been targeted with a record number of bomb threats. Jewish community centers, schools, synagogues, and Anti-Defamation League offices have all received calls or emails warning of attacks that turned out to be hoaxes.

Westchester institutions that were threatened included the JCC of Mid-Westchester in Scarsdale and the JCC on the Hudson in Tarrytown. Swastikas were found on local college campuses.

At the breakfast, District Attorney Scarpino discussed how his office investigates and prosecutes hate crimes, as well as how the office seeks to deter and prevent acts of anti-Semitism and all bias crimes. According to the D.A., Westchester has seen a rise in anti-Semitic crimes in 2017.

“We must assume the worst and hope for the best when bomb threats are received,” he said. “We must investigate and take these threats seriously until we determine otherwise.”

As Westchester County’s chief law enforcement officer, District Attorney Scarpino has dedicated his career to protecting the community through the fair and ethical pursuit of justice. He possesses 37 years of combined experience as a special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and as a judge for over 30 years.

The breakfast’s attendees included UJA-Federation and Westchester Jewish Council leadership, volunteer and executive leadership from area agencies, synagogues, and local government officials.

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Photo Captions:

Photo 1: (From left) Westchester District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr.; UJA-Federation’s Westchester Government Relations Chair Debra Abrahams Weiner of White Plains; UJA-Federation’s Public Policy Committee Chair Karen Spar Kasner of Scarsdale; and Westchester Jewish Council President Paul Warhit of New Rochelle

Photo 2: Westchester District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr.

About UJA-Federation of New York

For 100 years, UJA-Federation has inspired New Yorkers to act on their values and invest in our community for the biggest impact. Through UJA-Federation, more than 50,000 donors address issues that matter most to them, pooling their resources to care for Jews everywhere and New Yorkers of all backgrounds, respond to crises close to home and far away, and shape our Jewish future. Working with nearly 100 nonprofit partners, synagogues, and other Jewish organizations, UJA-Federation is the world’s leading local philanthropy; our reach extends from New York to Israel to nearly 70 other countries around the world, touching 4.5 million people each year. For more information on how to donate or volunteer, please visit our website at www.ujafedny.org.

About Westchester Jewish Council

The Westchester Jewish Council is the central communicating, coordinating, convening advisory and resource body for the county's Jewish community, representing more than 160 Jewish organizations and serving 150,000 Jews. As Westchester's Jewish community-relations organization, the Council unites Westchester Jewry with the State of Israel, fosters communication among Jewish organizations and cultivates and strengthens relations with other ethnic groups, elected officials and the community at large. The Council encourages participation in Jewish life and supports and develops initiatives and programs that meet existing and emerging Jewish communal needs. For more information, click on www.wjcouncil.org.