New York City Council member Chaim Deutsch is calling for Mayor Bill de Blasio to approve funding for houses of worship in the wake of the massacre that took place at Congregation Chabad in Poway, California, and has organized a rally to help the mayor see the justice of the cause.
Deutsch, who serves the Midwood neighborhood in Brooklyn, is taking the lead at the rally together with numerous Jewish, Christian and Muslim faith organizations – including the NYPD Muslim Officers Society – set for Tuesday, May 7 at 2 pm on the steps of New York City Hall.
The rally will provide a forum to call for security funding for houses of worship, Deutsch said in an email sent to JewishPress.com.
“In the wake of recent attacks on houses of worship throughout the world, it is a frightening time for many religious New Yorkers. Churches, synagogues, and mosques have all been targeted in the last several months.
“Now is the time to ask Mayor de Blasio to include funding in the City budget for houses of worship to have security apparatus and personnel. It is crucial that New Yorkers turn up at tomorrow’s rally in droves, to prove that our voices will not be silenced on this critical issue,” he wrote in the email.