New York’s Jewish community rises strong, rejecting hateful pro-Palestinian incitement and defending Israel’s legitimacy.
Jewish organizations across New York City are preparing a powerful solidarity rally on Thursday near the Park East Synagogue, following a shocking anti-Israel protest that targeted an Aliyah event weeks earlier.
The rally—organized by UJA Federation of New York, the Jewish Community Relations Council, ADL NY/NJ, American Jewish Congress New York, and the New York Board of Rabbis—aims to show unwavering support for Israel and to confront the surge of extremist, pro-Palestinian hostility on the streets.
Promotional material for the gathering declares a united message: the Jewish community will always defend its values and Israel’s unshakable right to exist as the Jewish homeland.
The earlier protest featured demonstrators screaming “death to the IDF” and “globalize the intifada,” chilling echoes of violent Arab nationalist terror movements. The synagogue had simply rented space to Nefesh B’Nefesh, an organization devoted to helping Jews make Aliyah—hardly the “international law violation” falsely implied by critics.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch later apologized for the police failure to secure the entrance, a lapse that left congregants shaken.
Instead of clearly condemning the dangerous rhetoric, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s spokesperson initially rebuked the synagogue—prompting outrage from Jewish leaders who accused him of shifting blame onto victims of intimidation rather than confronting the radical protestors aligned with anti-Israel Arab movements.
Following backlash, Mamdani adjusted his tone, acknowledging that calls for “death to” anyone are intolerable and claiming that Jewish institutions will be protected amid the rise of antisemitic agitation.
The rally now stands as a public declaration that New York’s Jews will not be silenced by extremist threats, intimidation, or the glorification of Palestinian violence.
