Hundreds of Jewish school pupils, parents, and alumni gathered outside Gracie Mansion in New York on Friday for a morning of singing and prayers. The event, which was billed as an expression of Jewish pride, was attended by mostly Modern Orthodox pupils from Ramaz School and SAR High School. The gathering was co-organised by the group IMPACT, and its chief executive, Aaron Herman, described it as a show of Jewish resilience and joy.
The event was sparked by concerns over New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani's anti-Israel rhetoric, which some attendees described as antisemitic. Rabbi Avi Weiss, founder of the Modern Orthodox rabbinical school Yeshivat Choverei Torah, was one of several speakers who voiced their concerns about Mamdani's comments. Weiss's charges drew applause from the crowd, and he called on the mayor to be more mindful of the impact of his words.
Prior to the event, nearly 400 pupils, alumni, and parents of SAR and Ramaz had signed a petition urging organisers to move the event's location from Gracie Mansion. They cautioned that it would likely be interpreted as a political statement against the mayor, rather than as a response to rising antisemitism. However, organisers decided to go ahead with the event at the original location.
The gathering drew a number of politicians and local candidates for office, including Inna Vernikov, Caroline Shinkle, and Alina Bonsell. Some attendees held Israeli and American flags, and people danced and sang to popular songs at pro-Israel protests. The event was rounded out with the singing of the Israeli and American national anthems.
Rabbi David Ingber and Kehilath Jeshurun's Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz also named Mamdani in their remarks, while others spoke broadly about the rise in antisemitism and the importance of expressing Jewish pride. Steinmetz said that the event was held outside Mamdani's residence partly in response to what he said was a failure to assure Jewish leaders that he took their concerns seriously.
Some attendees felt that they were making a political statement, with one parent, Steven Epstein, saying that they disagreed with the mayor's criticisms of Israel. Epstein was one of about a dozen people wearing yellow "FireMamdani.com" t-shirts, which were being handed out along with matching stickers. However, organisers denied that they were behind the shirts or stickers.
The event comes as antisemitic hate crimes have risen in New York City compared with this time last year. Mamdani told reporters earlier that he welcomed the group's presence but that he would probably not be at his residence while they gathered outside it. His public schedule for Friday did not list any appearances earlier than 14:00.
Key points
- The gathering was a show of Jewish resilience and joy in the face of rising antisemitism.
- Attendees expressed concerns over Mayor Zohran Mamdani's anti-Israel rhetoric, which they described as antisemitic.
- The event was attended by hundreds of Jewish school pupils, parents, and alumni, and drew a number of politicians and local candidates for office.
