The city witnessed a disturbing scene when roughly 200 protesters descended on a 135-year-old Manhattan synagogue, targeting an event for Jewish emigration to Israel and chanting “From New York to Gaza, globalize the intifada,” while officials and community leaders reacted with outrage and concern.
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has drawn criticism for refusing to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada,” and that controversy now plays out against a backdrop of rising antisemitic incidents in New York City. The demonstration outside the Park East Synagogue interrupted an event organized for Nefesh B’nefesh, a group that helps Jews emigrate to Israel, and left congregants and neighbors shaken. Eyewitnesses described taunts, abusive language, and chants that targeted Jewish people and the synagogue itself.
The protesters gathered in an upscale Manhattan neighborhood and argued the event should not take place, with one demonstrator declaring, “It is our duty to make them think twice before holding these events.” A Jewish counter-protest formed at the synagogue entrance and exchanged shouted insults with the crowd, with police separating the groups behind metal barricades. Authorities reported no arrests at the scene, even as tensions ran high and neighbors recorded confrontations on their phones.
Now, he gets to see the same human material that shattered the glass of synagogues in Berlin and Vienna in 1938, outside his own synagogue.
This is not about Gaza and has never been about Gaza.
This is an attack on the Jewish people.
Videos captured protesters beating a drum while chanting the inflammatory slogan and signaling support for violent resistance, which many observers said crosses from political protest into intimidation. Those inside the synagogue reportedly continued their event despite the noise and insults just outside the doors, where some speakers hurled demeaning slurs at attendees. Conservative voices argue that this is the predictable result of soft responses from city officials and a permissive atmosphere toward radical rhetoric.
Reporting on the scene described protesters using graphic insults and labeling Jewish demonstrators with dehumanizing terms. Inside the sanctuary, organizers from the emigration group maintained a calm presence, greeting attendees and attempting to proceed with the program. The contrast between the orderly service inside and the chaos outside underscored how quickly public assemblies can escalate when ideological fury is permitted to spill into places of worship.
The crowd also chanted “From New York to Gaza, globalize the intifada” to the beat of a drum.
A Jewish counter-protest assembled in the front of the synagogue and yelled back, “You’re cowards,” and blasted them for “protesting at a synagogue.”
Videos show NYPD officers at the scene separating the two groups behind a metal barricade, but no arrests were reported, according to the department…
The protest was led by the anti-Israel activist group Pal-Awda, which advertised the event as “No settlers on stolen land” and “Protest to stop the settler recruiting fair.”
Other accounts from the night recorded raw, antisemitic language directed at worshippers, including shouted accusations and profanity aimed at both individuals and the community. The synagogue itself has been a fixture since 1890 and is led by Senior Rabbi Arthur Schneier, a 95-year-old Holocaust survivor who has shepherded the congregation for decades. Observers noted the bitter irony of such harassment occurring in front of a house of worship with deep historical roots and a leader who has endured far worse in his lifetime.
The mayor at the time, outgoing Mayor Eric Adams, publicly denounced the hateful conduct and pledged to visit the synagogue upon his return to town. His statement emphasized solidarity with the Jewish community and condemned the intimidation unfolding in the streets. Still, critics on the right say stronger, clearer condemnation from incoming city leadership is necessary to prevent future episodes and to restore basic safety around houses of worship.
New York City residents who remember the city at its best watched this incident with dismay, seeing antisemitic chants and threats as proof that bigotry has resurfaced in public life. The demonstration was described as led by an anti-Israel group that framed the synagogue event as part of settler recruitment, an accusation that inflamed passions and drew a heavy crowd. Locals and community advocates said the scene revealed a broader breakdown in civic norms where some activists feel free to harass religious communities.
I’ll be visiting Park East Synagogue to stand with our Jewish community when I am back in town.
What happened that evening left many Manhattan residents calling for accountability, better protection for vulnerable communities, and more decisive language from public officials about antisemitism. The Park East Synagogue has long been a center of spiritual life and history, and bystanders said it should never be a target for political intimidation. The incident has become part of a larger national conversation about protest boundaries, hate speech, and the responsibilities of leaders to defend religious liberty.
Editor’s Note: Zohran Mamdani is an avowed Democratic Socialist and is soon to be sworn in as the next mayor of New York City.
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