You are connecting from Lake Geneva Public Library, please login or register to take advantage of your institution's Ground News Plan.
Published 2 days ago • loading... • Updated 7 hours ago
Over 25 NYC Jewish groups oppose Mamdani antisemitism plan, demand new one
The 33-page plan doubles hate-crime prevention funding to $6.4 million, but critics say it omits Israel and leaves key questions about Jewish security unanswered.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released the city's first municipal Strategy to Combat Antisemitism, pledging "historic investments in prevention, security, education, survivor support and Jewish cultural life."
The administration's plan includes a $26 million allocation for the Office to Prevent Hate Crimes, featuring $7.4 million for nonprofit security and grants as the city addresses rising hate crime reports.
More than 25 New York City-based Jewish organizations, including End Jewish Hatred, signed an open letter on Friday criticizing the strategy, stating it "falls dangerously short" by failing to address contemporary anti-Jewish hostility.
Signatories argued the report "explicitly declines to adopt a definition of antisemitism," while groups noted that "antizionist harassment has become normalized" and inspires violence across the city.
Israeli Consul General Ofir Akunis stated the plan ignores the "fundamental reason for the rise of antisemitism" by failing to recognize language against the Jewish state, urging adoption of the IHRA definition.