JULY 2022 NEWSLETTER

	The Huntington Anti-Bias Task Force (HABTF) is a non-partisan group formed by the Town of Huntington in conjunction with the Suffolk County Anti-Bias Task Force. It is made up of concerned clergy, community representatives and lay persons who work together to address the issue of intolerance, prejudice, discrimination and racism in any segment of our Town. We've been holding public monthly since January 2019 and have accomplished quite a lot. Upcoming meetings are 1 PM Wed August 24 and Sept 28 (4th Wed). For more information about HABTF, click www.huntingtonny.gov/abtf. Send suspected bias incidents to: Town of Huntington Anti-Bias Task Force Department of Human Services (Room 203) Attn: Carmen Kasper, Director 423 Park Ave, Huntington, NY 11743 631-351-3304 antibias@huntingtonny.gov Also contact SCPD Hate Crimes Unit at 631-852-6323 Click here to read HABTF May 2022 Newsletter Click here to read HABTF Jan 2021 Newsletter Table of Contents -- 2nd Precinct SCPD Report -- ADL: Hate in New York State -- Huntington Anti-Bias Concert -- Huntington Family Pride Picnic -- June 2022 HABTF Meeting Summary -- Town of Huntington News
2nd Precinct SCPD Report
	By Inspector William Scrima Since the last newsletter, there were three significant incidents in the Second Precinct that were reported to have elements of bias: On 5/28/22, a male damaged several windows and doors at St. Hugh of Lincoln Church 21 E. 9th St. Huntington Station. He was arrested and charged with Aggravated harassment first degree, Criminal mischief third degree, and disruption or disturbance of a religious service, funeral, burial or memorial service. On 5/30/22, a swastika was discovered to have been drawn on the windshield of a vehicle on Berrywood Dr. in Huntington Station. Hate Crimes is investigating. On 6/26/22 at 10:04 am a Lee Zeldin campaign sign located at West Pulaski Road and Oakwood Road in Huntington Station was discovered to have been painted with a swastika, "187," and the word "Gambino". Hate Crimes Unit arrested a Huntington man. He was charged with Aggravated Harassment 1st Degree, a hate crime, and Criminal Mischief 4th Degree. Upcoming Event: 5 PM Tues Aug 2 National Night Out at Manor Field Park Click here to check out 2nd Precinct News on Twitter Click here for the 2nd Precinct Community Meeting Schedule For more information, please visit the 2nd Precinct department Website at www.suffolkpd.org. back to top
Hate in Empire State: Extremism & Antisemitism in New York (2020-2021)
	By ADL This report examines extremist and antisemitic trends and incidents across New York state during the two-year time period from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021, and provides recommendations for combatting these threats. The ADL Center on Extremism (COE) and the Community Security Initiative (CSI), a project of UJA-Federation of NY and JCRC-NY, jointly researched and authored the report. The last two years have seen a significant proliferation of hate incidents both nationwide and in New York State. These incidents have been rooted, in part, in widespread campaigns of disinformation and conspiracy theories, some of which have animated extremists and fueled antisemitism, resulting in unrest and violence, from the January 6, 2021 insurrection in Washington, D.C. to white supremacist activism to a spike in hate crimes and rising antisemitism. Click here to read more > > back to top
Huntington Anti-Bias Concert
	by Kevin Thorbourne On Aug 20, 2022, please join us for a FREE concert to raise awareness of bias and support inclusivity in our town. The Huntington Anti-Bias Concert will feature some of the best talent from each of the 9 Town of Huntington High Schools and will also involve your favorite local businesses! Join us at Hecksher Park from 1PM to 4 PM to watch our community come together and watch our most talented students put on a show that will be the talk of the town! There will be raffles, snacks and more! The Tri Community and Youth Agency (Tri CYA) is the main manager of this event. It is a private, not-for-profit community-based agency dedicated to supporting the growth and development of youth and their families in the communities of Huntington, South Huntington and Cold Spring Harbor. For more than 40 years, they have provided a broad range of educational, recreational, social, cultural, athletic, counseling and advocacy programs. To see photos from last year's concert, click https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZhdHdmuTc8pMJYBz7 back to top
Huntington Family Pride Picnic
	by David Pinkowitz A Huntington couple held a family pride picnic on June 26 at Mill Dam Park, designed to celebrate LGBTQ+ families. Eric and Jim Rubin Perez worked on the picnic for months, with help from the office of Town Councilwoman Joan Cergol, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Huntington and Be the Rainbow, an organization in Port Jefferson. The picnic idea grew out of informal brunches with other families in the area. “We have lived in the community for about 15 years, and one of the things that brought us to this community was that Huntington had the pride parade,” Eric Rubin Perez said. “The goal of the family pride picnic is to bring pride back to Huntington and we’ve created an event meant to be a family celebration,” Jim Rubin Perez said. “We’re excited to celebrate pride in the place it all started.” Huntington hosted the Long Island Pride Festival starting in the 1990s. To see some photos of the picnic, click https://photos.app.goo.gl/5qPvYPuym9za45ih7 back to top
June HABTF Meeting Summary
	by Rabbi Lina Zerbarini HABTF Meeting Minutes Jun 22, 2022 Zoom 1pm Meeting was called to order at 1 pm Approval of Minutes from May, 25, 2022 Attendance Carmen’s Bias Report -- No reports were made. Town of Huntington Scholarships $2500 each – submit application – with GPA and plans for their future. 250 word essay. 31 Applicants, 6 awardees. Final year of scholarship, because the contract is over with the sponsoring organization. A suggestion was made to seek further funds – this needs a “champion” – someone to organize it. Helen, Roxane, and Bette Schneiderman will help with this. This project is added to the new Project Management tool to keep track of it. Upcoming Events: First Annual Huntington Family Pride Picnic - Sunday, June 26, 1 - 4 pm@Mill Dam Park. Organized by Eric and Jim Rubin-Perez. There will be games for kids. HABTF will be there with a table. National Night Out - August 2, 4 pm - dark Click here to read more > > back to top
Huntington’s 11th Annual Anne Frank Memorial Garden Ceremony
	by Carmen Kasper Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth hosted the Town of Huntington’s 11th Annual Anne Frank Memorial Garden Ceremony on Wednesday, June 22, at 4:30 PM at Town Hall (rain forced a change from the Anne Frank Memorial Garden at Arboretum Park in Melville). The Anne Frank Memorial Garden symbolically captures the journey of Anne Frank’s life. It features a circular pathway that surrounds a garden, which leads to the sculpture of a young girl’s dress. The Memorial Garden serves as tribute to Anne’s legacy of wisdom and genuine belief in the goodness of mankind and human nature, despite the ugliness of war and discrimination. Program participants included Rabbi Beth Klafter of Temple Beth David in Commack, Rabbi Yakov Saacks of The Chai Center in Dix Hills, musical selections by Hazzan (Cantor) Steven Walvick of the East Northport Jewish Center; and remarks from guest speaker Gail Sheryn Kastenholz, a Huntington Station resident, Second Generation Survivor and Holocaust education advocate. Attendees of the Anne Frank Memorial Garden anniversary celebration were offered light refreshments, donated by Suffolk County Legislator Manuel Esteban. Click here to watch the video of the event back to top