Andrew Cuomo directs New York police to increase patrols in Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods across state

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has directed police statewide to increase patrols and security in Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods.

The directive comes after a man wielding a large knife attacked people attending a Hanukkah celebration at a rabbi's home Saturday evening in Monsey, New York, wounding five. The suspect was later arrested in New York City after fleeing the scene.

In a statement, Cuomo called the violence a "blatant act of domestic terrorism that sought to inflict violence, incite hate, and generate fear." He promised to "put an end to this cancer not just through our words, but through our actions."

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Cuomo's concerns about the safety of New York's Jewish communities were echoed by prominent voices throughout the U.S., with Oren Segal, the vice president of the Anti-Defamation League, calling the New York City area's rise in anti-Semitic violence an "epidemic."