I want to begin by thanking New York State Senator Sam Sutton and Assemblyman Micah Lasher for introducing legislation to create a buffer zone outside houses of worship. At a time when intimidation, harassment, and threats near religious institutions are becoming more frequent, their willingness to acknowledge this reality and act deserves recognition.
That said, as a New York resident, I am deeply disappointed to learn that the original proposal for a 100-foot buffer zone has now been reduced to just 25 feet.
In New York City, 25 feet is simply not meaningful protection. It does little to shield worshippers from harassment, intimidation, or disruption, and it accomplishes very little beyond creating a talking point. If the goal of this legislation is genuine safety, we must be honest: a 25-foot buffer zone does not come close to achieving it.
What our communities need is a clear, enforceable 100-foot buffer zone that makes protesting outside any house of worship illegal. Safety must be the top priority. And if there are concerns that stronger legislation may face political resistance, the answer should not be retreat. It should be resolve. People want to see their elected officials fighting for them—not pre-emptively watering down protections before the fight has even begun.
Our communities no longer want leadership that compromises away our safety. We want courage. We want conviction. We want to see elected officials stand firm and advocate unapologetically for what is right.
I urge readers to contact State Senator Sam Sutton at 718-253-2015 or by email at [email protected]
and ask him to re-propose legislation restoring the 100-foot buffer zone. This is not a parochial issue. It affects churches, synagogues, mosques, and every community that gathers to worship in peace. Broad, cross-faith support can—and must—be built.
And we should do more than write letters. We should show up in Albany. We should make our voices heard. And we should demand a law that actually protects people where they are most vulnerable.
Anything less is not leadership.
Signed,
A Brooklyn Resident
The views expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review.
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7 Responses
And who’s going to do anything if people pass the hundred foot buffer? Nobody?
1) Maybe it’s time to stop relying on the government for protection.
2) You don’t need 100ft buffer zones when you live in a community that has religious institutions spaced less than 100ft apart from each other.
Do you think every police officer who stands guard outside a shul, is protecting?
If you want meaningful protection against attacks on Jewish institutions, of which there are many especially due to the preference of frum Jews with many small shuls to minimize walking to shul (non-frum drive to shul, so they are content with large building with parking lots) you need armed and trained security, which would be incredibly expensive and would seriously annoy the Democrats who in general are in love with Hamas and opposed to citizens defending themselves against criminals.
Come to Eretz Yisroel. Here we need you. There, they barely tolerate you. Go where you are wanted and needed. Bring your yeshivos, Talmudai Torah, Bais Yaakovs, US mentality (the positive aspects). Help us stand up to the remnants of the far left that are fighting their last fight before the coming of Moshiach! Look beyond comfort or discomfort and be part of History.
A 100-foot buffer zone would be unconstitutional. Any buffer zone must be small enough that the protesters are able to effectively deliver their message to people going in and out, without actually obstructing them. Obviously anyone throwing things, actually obstructing someone, or making actual serious threats, can already be arrested without any buffer zone.
“pekak”, where institutions are that close together, so that any effective buffer zone would prevent protesters from delivering their message, then even a small zone would be unconstitutional.
What you have to understand is that YOU HAVE NO RIGHT not to hear what someone wants to tell you. If they are on a public street they have the right to tell you absolutely anything they like, even if it’s horrible and disgusting, and Congress cannot make any law that would prevent them from doing so. The Ku Klux Klan has the right to stand in the street and tell black people that they should be slaves. The Nazi Party has the right to stand in the street and tell us that we belong in ovens. This is America, where the freedom of speech is SACRED, more important than any religion.
But they are not allowed to obstruct people’s way, or to assault them, or threaten them with physical violence. And for that purpose Congress is allowed to establish SMALL buffer zones around certain places, where protesters can be excluded, but can stand close enough to effectively deliver their message without obstructing or threatening anyone.