Cuomo offering support to North Shore Hebrew Academy after cyberattack

The state’s Division of Human Rights will coordinate a virtual forum with a Great Neck yeshiva following Monday’s cyberattack in which anti-Semitic songs and videos were posted on the school's website, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced Friday.

The hacking of the North Shore Hebrew Academy website had images and videos of Nazi soldiers marching during World War II, swastikas and other related propaganda, including a song threatening the lives of Jewish people.

"This anti-Semitic attack is simply despicable, and the fact it came as the school community celebrated Hanukkah makes it even more repulsive," Cuomo said in a statement. "As we work with our partners on the local and national level to hold the perpetrators accountable, New York State will deploy resources to help the staff, parents and students at North Shore Hebrew Academy in the aftermath of this senseless act.

"By deploying these resources, we are sending a message loud and clear that hate has no place in our state — online or in person — and that New York will always support and protect those targeted for crimes based on who they are or what they believe," Cuomo added.

The state also will send its Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services' Cyber Incident Response Team, which will assess the academy's cybersecurity practices while helping prepare the school to identify and prevent future attacks.

A date will be set in the coming weeks between the state and school community, said Jack Sterne, a Cuomo spokesman.

North Shore Hebrew Academy officials could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday. The school has students from pre-K to 12th grade.

The resources from Cuomo come as State Sen. Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach) previously asked the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to allow institutions to use funds obtained through the Securing Communities Against Crimes Grants Program to beef up cybersecurity. The grant program, designed to provide money to boost safety at nonprofit museums, day care centers, community centers and camps at risk of hate crimes because of religion, ideology or mission, has been used in the past for security camera systems, gates and doors.

The FBI joined in the investigation, which began with Nassau County and Lake Success police on Monday.