“As a sign of solidarity, at this time of crisis for the Jewish people, I’m going to be doing another trip to Israel as a trip in solidarity right after the legislative session, and I invite my Jewish colleagues to join us as a sign of solidarity,” he told reporters prior to marching in the annual ‘Celebrate Israel’ parade in Manhattan. “New York stands with Israel. We are all Jewish today. We all appreciate the Jewish community. They are part of what makes New York, New York—and one of the best parts.”
Cuomo last traveled to Israel in 2017 and first visited in 2014.
A trip to the Jewish state last year was postponed due to violence at the Gaza-Israel border.
Cuomo also addressed antisemitism.
“We are here to celebrate Israel,” he said. “And it’s more appropriate than usual this year because the blunt truth is there has been an increase in the number of antisemitic attacks in this country and in this state. … These antisemitic attacks are personal to the Cuomo family. We have many friends who we grew up with who are of the Jewish faith. I have two brothers-in-law who are Jewish, my mother has two sons-in-law, my daughters have two uncles—Howard [Simon Maier] and Ken [Cole]—who are Jewish. These antisemitic attacks the Cuomo family takes personally. Every family in New York takes personally.”