|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
In recognition of his exemplary contributions to the local-level fight against rising Jew-hatred, Nassau County (New York) Executive Bruce Blakeman was honored with the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) Civic Leadership Award at the 2024 Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism in Beverly Hills last week.
“In Nassau County, we respect our police, we respect law and order, and we respect the rule of law,” Blakeman said in his acceptance speech, after being presented with the award by CAM Founder Adam Beren. “We have to fight against antisemitism, each and every day, and not allow it to rear its ugly head anywhere in America.”
In his introduction of Blakeman, Beren said, “Bruce, you’ve been an incredible ally of ours, you’ve been a warrior, and we just can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done for the Jewish community.”
In September 2023, Blakeman visited Israel with more than a dozen other Nassau County officials on a six-day trip organized by CAM.
Two months later, following the October 7th attack, Blakeman called for the resignation of Hofstra University President Susan Poser over comments in which she failed to clearly condemn Hamas.
This past August, Blakeman signed legislation banning the wearing of masks in public. A main motivating drive behind the measure was to counter anti-Israel protesters on college campuses, as well as perpetrators of other antisemitic incidents.
In 2021, Nassau County, home to around 300,000 Jewish residents, adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism.
“Whether by standing firmly with Israel after October 7th or taking concrete steps to protect Jews from the growing threats they face, County Executive Blakeman is a true partner in the collective effort to counter and ultimately defeat antisemitism,” CAM Chief Government Affairs Officer Lisa Katz said. “This is why we chose to honor him with the CAM Civic Leadership Award at the 2024 Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism, and we look forward to continued cooperation with him moving forward.”
Watch the remarks of CAM Founder Adam Beren and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman HERE:
