NYC notes rise in crimes targeting Jews

NEW YORK — New York City has experienced a 22 percent increase in bias crimes against Jewish people so far this year, 159 compared with 130 during the same period of 2017, the city’s Police Department reported Wednesday.

While the city was on pace to have a lower number of hate crimes this year, it saw a big jump in October, particularly in anti-Semitic crimes.

Wednesday’s report was issued after the Oct. 27 shooting attack during Sabbath services at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue that killed 11, injured seven and drew national attention. On Monday, New York police arrested a man charged with scrawling pro-Nazi slogans inside a Brooklyn synagogue a week ago.

New York City’s 1.1 million Jews is the largest concentration outside Israel.

Overall, major crime in the city decreased by 1.4 percent so far this year, from the same period of 2017, and is projected to fall to a record low for 2018, according to the New York police agency. Slayings were down 41 percent in October, while shootings were down 6.8 percent.