In a show of solidarity with New York’s Jewish community, a strong contingent of UFT members joined tens of thousands of other Stand Up to Hate marchers who gathered in Foley Square in lower Manhattan on Jan. 5 for the march across the Brooklyn Bridge. Responding to the recent rise in anti-Semitic incidents in the metropolitan area and nationwide, the marchers carried posters denouncing hate crimes. According to the New York Police Department, reports of hate crimes in the city are up 20 percent since 2018. “The march was a meaningful experience,” said David Kazansky, a trustee of the Teachers’ Retirement System and the chair of the UFT Jewish Heritage Committee. “Many UFT members and retirees at the march who saw our signs stopped to thank us for participating.” AFT President Randi Weingarten also marched on behalf of teachers nationwide. Jewish community leaders and political leaders addressed the marchers at a rally in Cadman Plaza Park in Brooklyn.