Local Sullivan Coalition to Expand Education Efforts to Address Antisemitism

A new local coalition in Sullivan County has taken shape to call out and combat antisemitism in the Catskills region.

As Jewish communities across the country report growing antisemitism, the Sullivan County Coalition Against Antisemitism was established in 2025 to combat antisemitism and denounce acts of hate and bigotry.

Lynn Skolnick, a coalition member, said that the coalition first came together in response to a series of antisemitic social media posts. It’s now made up of representatives from 10 local synagogues and Jewish congregations.

She says that rising attacks of antisemitism are being felt locally. “We don’t live in a vacuum, and so things that are happening worldwide or nationwide are reflected in our own community. Even as small as it is, we’re not immune from this sort of activity.”

A statement that the Sullivan County Coalition Against Antisemitism released in July included alleged incidents against Jewish residents in the area, including an alleged attack on “several Jewish women riding bicycles by a passing car whose passengers sprayed manure at the group, striking two women.”

If someone’s concerned that they may be a victim of a hate crime, Skolnick said reporting it to the police is the first step.

For now, she says they’re focused on beefing up their education efforts and connecting with other national and regional organizations, like the Jewish Federation of the Greater Orange County.

“Any efforts we have towards educating will be educating towards tolerance and acceptance and against hatred of any kind.”

Residents can reach out to the coalition by email at sccoalitionagainstantisemitism@gmail.com.

Image: A New York State Police Department cruiser is parked in front of Cornell University’s Center for Jewish Living, in Ithaca, NY, Monday, Oct 30, 2023. The federal government has opened civil rights investigations at seven schools and universities over allegations of antisemitism or Islamophobia since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. I (AP Photo/David Bauder)