Bill > A06557

This bill establishes October 7th as "October 7th Remembrance Day" to honor the victims of the Hamas attacks on Israel in 2023, which resulted in the brutal massacre of innocent civilians during the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. The bill requires the New York City school district to make October 7th a holiday for students and mandates that the chancellor implement comprehensive educational initiatives about the attacks and their historical context. Specifically, starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, public and charter schools in New York City must incorporate age-appropriate lessons about the October 7th attacks into their Holocaust and genocide education curriculum, focusing on the significance of the event in the ongoing struggle against antisemitism. The bill also requires the Division of Human Rights to develop a statewide campaign to combat antisemitism, which includes creating public awareness campaigns, providing resources for reporting hate crimes, and promoting interfaith dialogue and education. The legislative findings emphasize the importance of remembering and teaching about such tragic events to prevent future hatred and violence, drawing parallels to the Holocaust and highlighting the continuing threat of antisemitism.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A6557