Tisch pledges NYPD's support at Central Synagogue, a week after Shabbat attack

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NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch pledged her department’s full support in protecting Jewish New Yorkers as she addressed worshippers at a Midtown synagogue Friday night, a week after a man disrupted Shabbat services there.

“Jewish institutions will not be left to protect themselves without a partner in the New York City Police Department,” Tisch told worshippers at Central Synagogue. The commissioner described herself as a lifelong member of the congregation. “Jewish families will not be told to accept fear as the price of practicing their faith in New York City.”

A Bronx man, Larry Montes, 46, was arrested last week after he began shouting and interrupting the services As security moved to escort him out of the building, he struck a member of the congregation in the head, damaged property and headbutted one of the guards, according to the NYPD. Nobody was seriously injured, according to police. Video of the man shouting and shaking his fists as a security guard restrains him and escorts him out was widely shared on social media.

Montes was charged with hate crimes in state court, and days later federal prosecutors in Manhattan brought hate crime charges of their own. He has not been convicted of any of the charges.

Senior Rabbi Angela Warnick Buchdahl introduced Tisch as one of the congregation’s own.

“Your personal connection to this, your home sanctuary, was deeply moving,” she said. “You exemplify the very best of our Jewish community with your integrity, your backbone, your commitment to serve others, and your pride and belief in what this city should be.”

Tisch told the congregation that the attack stretched beyond those in attendance that night.

“A hate crime such as this is a message written in violence,” she said. “The physical wound is inflicted upon one person, but the fear is intended for an entire community. It is meant to tell everyone who shares the victim’s identity that they do not belong, that they are vulnerable, and that they should be afraid.”

But, Tisch added, “understanding that pain and that fear and that danger is only the beginning of my responsibility to you.”

The NYPD, Tisch said, would remain in close contact with Jewish leaders and institutions across the city as it worked to respond to antisemitic hate crimes.

Buchdahl also spoke about last week's events, saying that many had come back “feeling traumatized by what happened last week, shaken, wondering what it means about our safety as Jews in this city and in our country.”

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the former archbishop of New York, attended Fright night’s service in a show of solidarity.

Buchdahl noted the incident at Central drew widespread condemnation from New York leaders, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Some Jewish leaders have urged the mayor to tone down his criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, arguing they inflame tensions at a time of growing antisemitism.

Buchdahl took a moment to read from a psalm that encouraged strength in the face of fear.

“We Jews have known fear,” Buchdahl said. “We felt it last week, but we also know what it feels like to be strong and of good courage.”

Ryan Kost is a reporter on the day-of news desk, where he covers breaking news and writes enterprise stories about jails, courts, prosecutors and government accountability. His work focuses on the public institutions that shape life in New York. Before joining the newsroom, he lead a multi-part investigation with Columbia Journalism Investigations and New York Focus into how New York prosecutors handle wrongful conviction claims. He's also been a staff writer at The San Francisco Chronicle, The Associated Press and The Oregonian. Got a tip? Signal: ryankost.20

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