The "No Hate, No Fear" march on Sunday was organised by the Jewish community in the wake of recent attacks, including a knife attack at a Hanukkah celebration north of New York City that left five people wounded, and a fatal shootout at a kosher grocery in New Jersey.

"It is wonderful that we are doing this and sad that we still have to do it," said Claudia Stoller, 31, of Manhattan. "But it was never lost on me that the Jewish community could always be targeted and should always be ready to be strong."

Marchers carried signs saying "No hate in our state" and "Always here without fear."

Among the elected officials at the march were New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and US Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand.

"Discrimination, racism, anti-Semitism, is repugnant to every value that New Yorkers hold dear, and repugnant to every value that this country represents," Cuomo said as he lauded the crowd of several thousand that turned out in support of the march.

Cuomo, a Democrat, announcedan extra $45 million for a state grant program that gives out funding to improve security measures against hate crimes at religious-based organisations.

Australian Associated Press