AI Tools Developed to Combat Rising Antisemitism in New York City

In response to a significant increase in antisemitic hate crimes in New York City, approximately 100 Jewish-American entrepreneurs participated in a special hackathon to develop artificial intelligence-powered tools aimed at combating the issue. The event, organized by the Israeli-American Council (IAC), focused on creating solutions for identifying hate speech, coordinating community responses, mapping public officials, and connecting allied organizations.

The hackathon, named HACK4NY, was held as part of the IAC's Young Leadership program and its Community Resilience and Civic Engagement initiative. Organizers highlighted the growing normalization of antisemitism in public spaces, campuses, and politics, citing concerning data from New York City. "We see antisemitism becoming routine, infiltrating streets, campuses, and local politics. In New York, the data speaks for itself," stated Liat Carmel, Senior Vice President of New Leadership at the IAC.

Participants worked in teams to develop AI tools across three main tracks. One track focused on creating systems that could transform reports of antisemitic incidents into rapid, professional response plans. Another track aimed to automatically map public officials by geographic area and classify them based on their stances on relevant issues. The third track concentrated on building mechanisms to identify and connect allied community organizations for coordinated action.

Among the projects presented were 'Rally, Report and Respond,' an app for reporting antisemitic incidents and connecting victims with nearby community volunteers for various forms of assistance. 'CommunityMap' uses AI to turn community contact lists into an active network, helping users find individuals who can assist with specific needs, such as organizing safety events. The winning project, 'Know Your Officials,' allows citizens to input their address and instantly receive information about their elected representatives, including their public stances and contact details for advocacy.

Tal Schuster, co-chair of the IAC, emphasized the community's proactive approach, stating, "When antisemitism strengthens and rears its head, the Israeli-American community does not wait." She added that the hackathon represents the younger generation's choice to "not just point out the problem, but build the solution," urging the mayor to prioritize resident safety and address issues within his purview.