Pro-Hamas agitators target Jews while NYC’s incoming mayor equivocates, fueling Arab-aligned extremism across the city.
Outgoing New York City Mayor Eric Adams visited Park East Synagogue on Monday, offering solidarity after a mob of anti-Israel extremists descended on the historic house of worship last week, shouting “globalize the intifada,” “death to the IDF,” and other threats meant to intimidate Jews attending a peaceful Nefesh B’Nefesh Aliyah event.
“We don’t back down in the face of hate—we show up,” Adams declared, standing beside Rabbi Arthur Schneier and congregants as he reaffirmed New York’s unbreakable bond with Israel and the Jewish people. He emphasized that antisemitism—and all forms of hate—have no place in New York City.
Photos from the visit show Adams embracing the community, listening to congregants, and pledging stronger protection after the NYPD admitted it mishandled protest control. First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro said Adams was furious that police allowed protesters to approach the synagogue entrance so closely. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch apologized to the congregation, acknowledging the department fell short.
The threats levied outside Park East were chilling. A protest leader was recorded saying:
“We need to make them scared.”
—open incitement aimed at Jewish New Yorkers for simply attending an event about moving to Israel.
The U.S. Department of Justice has now opened a federal civil rights investigation. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said DOJ has “zero tolerance” for harassment or obstruction around any house of worship and confirmed a full investigation is underway.
But while city and federal leaders condemned the mob’s behavior, the response from Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani was weak and deeply troubling. His spokesperson claimed that “sacred spaces should not be used to promote activities in violation of international law”—a blatant smear implying that Jewish Aliyah, the right of Jews to move to Israel, is somehow illegal.
Mamdani offered no explanation, no clarification, and no condemnation of the hateful chants targeting Jews. His rhetoric once again placed blame on Jews rather than their aggressors—mirroring his pattern of extremist positions since October 7.
Meanwhile, newly released NYPD data paints a grim picture:
- 62% of all hate crimes in New York last month targeted Jews.
- 29 out of 47 recorded hate-crime incidents were antisemitic.
This attack on Park East Synagogue is not an isolated event—it is part of a disturbing surge of anti-Jewish hostility fueled by radical pro-Hamas networks and amplified by political leaders who refuse to defend Jewish New Yorkers with moral clarity.
Adams’ visit provided comfort, but the battle against rising antisemitism will only intensify under a mayor-elect who continues to equivocate—placing New York’s Jewish community at greater risk.
